grievance
gb/ɡɹˈivəns/ us/ɡɹˈivəns/
C1
English
~ 9800
sérelem, hivatalos panasz, panasz
NOUN
C1
1
sérelem
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] has a grievance against [someone/something]
She still carries a deep grievance against her former boss for the way she was dismissed.
Még mindig mély sérelmet hordoz a volt főnöke iránt amiatt, ahogyan elbocsátották.
Old political grievances continue to shape relations between the two communities.
A régi politikai sérelmek továbbra is alakítják a két közösség közötti kapcsolatokat.
Instead of nursing their grievances in silence, employees were encouraged to speak openly.
Family gatherings often turned tense as relatives aired long-held grievances.
The book explores the historical grievances that fueled the conflict.
Learner examples
He has a grievance against his manager because he feels she was rude.
Neheztel a vezetőjére, mert úgy érzi, hogy az udvariatlan volt vele.
The workers talked about their grievances during the meeting.
A dolgozók a sérelmeikről beszéltek az értekezleten.
She tried to forget her old grievances and start again.
Many people in the town have grievances about the new law.
They met to discuss and share their grievances.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "grievance" with "grief". "Grief" is deep sadness after a loss, especially a death, while "grievance" is anger or resentment because you feel something was unfair. Also, use the preposition "against" for the target of the anger (e.g., "a grievance against the company"), not "on" or "to".
Meaning
resentful feeling about unfair treatment
Collocations
long-standing grievance
|personal grievance
|harbor a grievance
|air your grievances
|historical grievances
|grievance against [someone]
Synonyms
resentment (Focuses more on the long-lasting angry feeling, without necessarily stressing the unfair act itself.)
|
complaint (More general and neutral; does not always suggest strong hurt feelings or injustice.)
Antonyms
contentment (Describes a calm, satisfied state with no sense of unfair treatment.)
|
acceptance (Emphasizes choosing not to hold anger or blame, even if something was unfair.)
Themes
emotions
|conflict
|society
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A strong, unhappy feeling because you think you were treated in an unfair way.
A feeling of anger or resentment that someone has because they believe they have been treated unfairly.
NOUN
C1
2
panasz
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone] files a grievance about [something]
The employee filed a formal grievance over unsafe working conditions.
A munkavállaló hivatalos panaszt nyújtott be a nem biztonságos munkakörülmények miatt.
Under the new contract, staff can submit a grievance directly to human resources.
Az új szerződés értelmében a dolgozók közvetlenül a humánerőforrás-osztálynak nyújthatnak be hivatalos panaszt.
The union is reviewing several grievances related to unpaid overtime.
Any grievance must be put in writing within 30 days of the incident.
The company updated its grievance procedure to make it easier for workers to report problems.
Learner examples
She filed a grievance because she felt the promotion process was unfair.
Hivatalos panaszt nyújtott be, mert úgy érezte, hogy az előléptetési folyamat nem volt tisztességes.
If you have a problem at work, you can make a formal grievance.
Ha problémád van a munkahelyeden, benyújthatsz egy hivatalos panaszt.
The union helped him with his grievance against the company.
There is a clear grievance procedure in the employee handbook.
He decided not to lodge a grievance and tried to solve the issue directly.
Common mistake:
Learners may use "do a grievance" instead of the correct verbs "file" or "lodge" a grievance. In many workplace contexts, "file a grievance" is the most natural phrase. Also, they sometimes say "a grievance letter" when native speakers more often say "a grievance" or "a written grievance".
Meaning
formal or official complaint
Collocations
file a grievance
|lodge a grievance
|grievance procedure
|grievance policy
|union grievance
|grievance process
Synonyms
complaint (More general; does not always suggest a formal process, while "grievance" often implies official channels.)
|
claim (Common in legal and insurance contexts; can involve money or rights, not just dissatisfaction.)
Antonyms
settlement (Refers to the resolution or ending of a grievance, often through agreement or compensation.)
|
resolution (Focuses on solving the issue that led to the grievance.)
Themes
business
|law
|work
Definition
A complaint that a person officially makes to an organization, especially about work or rights.
A specific complaint, especially in a workplace or legal context, that is raised through an official or formal process.
Grammar
Dictionary form
grievance
IPA
GB/ɡɹˈivəns/
US/ɡɹˈivəns/
Syllables & stress
griev - ance (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (griev)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: grievance
- Plural: grievances
Word family
Expressions
air your grievances
1/ˈɛɹ jˈʊɹ ɡɹˈivənsɪz/
idiom
openly express complaints or grievances
To talk openly about your complaints or things you think were unfair, usually in front of other people.
Examples
- The meeting gave staff a chance to air their grievances about pay and workload.
- Instead of complaining in private, they agreed to air their grievances at the next council session.
file a grievance
1/fˈaɪl ə ɡɹˈivəns/
fixed phrase
submit a formal grievance
To officially send or give a complaint to an organization, usually in writing, so they must respond.
Examples
- Employees can file a grievance if they believe they have been treated unfairly.
- She decided to file a grievance with human resources about the manager's behavior.
grievance procedure
1/ɡɹˈivəns pɹoʊsˈid͡ʒɚ/
fixed phrase
formal
official process for grievances
The official steps that an organization uses to receive and deal with formal complaints.
Examples
- The company’s grievance procedure is explained in the employee handbook.
- Unions often negotiate a clear grievance procedure in their contracts.
have a grievance against [someone]
1/hˈæv ə ɡɹˈivəns əɡˈɛnst sˈʌmwˌʌn/
fixed phrase
feel wronged by someone
To feel angry with someone because you believe that person treated you in an unfair way.
Examples
- Several students have a grievance against the professor over the way the exam was graded.
- He clearly has a grievance against his former partner and talks about it often.
nurse a grievance
1/nˈɚs ə ɡɹˈivəns/
idiom
hold on to a grievance
To keep your angry feelings about something that was unfair, instead of letting them go.
Examples
- He has been nursing a grievance about that argument for years.
- If you keep nursing old grievances, it will be hard to move on.