grievance
gb/ɡɹˈivəns/ us/ɡɹˈivəns/
C1
English
~ 9800
Senses
0 senses
Noun
C1
state
1
resentful feeling about unfair treatment
A strong, unhappy feeling because you think you were treated in an unfair way.
Usage pattern:
[someone] has a grievance against [someone/something]
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".
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.)
Collocations
long-standing grievance
|personal grievance
|harbor a grievance
|air your grievances
|historical grievances
|grievance against [someone]
Themes
emotions
|conflict
|society
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She still carries a deep grievance against her former boss for the way she was dismissed.
- Old political grievances continue to shape relations between the two communities.
- 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.
- The workers talked about their grievances during the meeting.
- 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.
Noun
C1
entity
2
formal or official complaint
A complaint that a person officially makes to an organization, especially about work or rights.
Usage pattern:
[someone] files a grievance about [something]
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".
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.)
Collocations
file a grievance
|lodge a grievance
|grievance procedure
|grievance policy
|union grievance
|grievance process
Themes
business
|law
|work
Examples
- The employee filed a formal grievance over unsafe working conditions.
- Under the new contract, staff can submit a grievance directly to human resources.
- 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.
- If you have a problem at work, you can make a formal grievance.
- 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.
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.