grievance

noun

griev·ance ˈgrē-vən(t)s

Synonyms of grievance

: a cause of distress (such as an unsatisfactory working condition) forming the reason for complaint or resistance

Their chief grievance was the unsafe work environment.

: the formal expression of a grievance : complaint

filed a grievance against her employer

obsolete : suffering, distress

Choose the Right Synonym for grievance

injustice, injury, wrong, grievance mean an act that inflicts undeserved hurt.

injustice applies to any act that involves unfairness to another or violation of one's rights.

the injustices suffered by the lower classes

injury applies in law specifically to an injustice for which one may sue to recover compensation.

libel constitutes a legal injury

wrong applies also in law to any act punishable according to the criminal code; it may apply more generally to any flagrant injustice.

determined to right society's wrongs

grievance applies to a circumstance or condition that constitutes an injustice to the sufferer and gives just ground for complaint.

a list of employee grievances

Examples of grievance in a Sentence

He has a deep sense of grievance against his former employer. She has been nursing a grievance all week. In the petition, the students listed their many grievances against the university administration. Several customers came to the front desk to air their grievances.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Inflation hit 66% in July and food prices soared 128% year on year, raising concerns among Iranian leaders that economic grievances could once again fuel mass protests that have erupted nationwide in recent years. — Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026 Shah was sworn in in March on a promise to clean up national politics and address widespread grievances at the lack of opportunities for young people in Nepal, which relies on remittances sent home by migrant workers for around a quarter of its GDP. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026 The players air their grievances, which are essentially a pile of petty conflicts and resentments that, as Alice warned, can be traced back to the team fracturing into cliques. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026 As tensions increased, historical grievances between the countries resurfaced. — ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grievance

Word History

Etymology

Middle English grevaunce, grevance "offense, ground for complaint, resentment, hardship, sickness," borrowed from Anglo-French, from grever "to be a burden to, harm, afflict" + -aunce, -ance -ance — more at grieve

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler

The first known use of grievance was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

griesly

grievance

grievant

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Grievance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grievance. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

grievance

noun

griev·ance ˈgrē-vən(t)s

: a cause of distress giving reason for complaint

: the formal expression of a grievance : complaint

Legal Definition

grievance

noun

griev·ance ˈgrē-vəns

: a cause of distress (as an unsatisfactory working condition or unfair labor practice) felt to afford a reason for complaint or dispute

especially : a violation of a collective bargaining agreement usually by the employer

: the formal expression of a grievance brought especially by an employee as the initial step toward resolution through a grievance procedure see also arbitration, grievance arbitration at arbitration, mediation

grievance

noun

Synonyms of grievance

Examples of grievance in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Legal Definition

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