grievance

noun

griev·ance | \ˈgrē-vən(t)s

Definition of grievance

2 : a cause of distress (such as an unsatisfactory working condition) felt to afford reason for complaint or resistance Her chief grievance was the sexual harassment by her boss.

3 : the formal expression of a grievance : complaint filed a grievance against her employer

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about grievance

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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

In each country, conflict may be fuelled largely by local grievances. — The Economist, "The fight against Islamic State is moving to Africa," 14 July 2018 Medicare requires nursing home administrators to listen to such councils’ grievances and recommendations. — Jordan Rau, Washington Post, "‘Like A Ghost Town’: Erratic Nursing Home Staffing Revealed Through New Records," 13 July 2018 Although South Korea’s Defense Ministry has compensated farmers for their land, grievances remain. — Time, "Inside Camp Humphreys, South Korea: America's Largest Overseas Military Base," 13 July 2018 So open the windows, air out old grievances, and commit to the castles in the sky that are yours for the keeping. — Bess Matassa, Teen Vogue, "Weekly Horoscopes July 16-22," 13 July 2018 Vulcan spokesman Joshua Robbins said the company, since only recently learning of the neighbors' complaints, made voluntary improvements to allay some of those grievances and wants to continue talking with the neighbors. — Lily Altavena, azcentral, "Controversy in the air as Mesa homeowners decry neighboring asphalt plant’s odors," 11 July 2018 According to a thorough account by Recode’s Johana Bhuiyan last year, Kalanick believed the HR division was there largely to recruit and fire talent, not manage interoffice grievances or allegations of sexism and harassment. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, "Uber senior executive resigns after racial discrimination allegations," 11 July 2018 The time has come to publicly air a grievance that burdens those travelers who rely on hotel gyms to offset all the poor eating and other extra calories that might be consumed during and after work on the road. — Jeff Wilson, star-telegram, "Rangers Reaction: Were Rangers trying to save Choo’s streak by not using him to hit late?," 11 July 2018 On Tuesday morning, the NFL Players Association filed a non-injury grievance challenging the policy. — Mckenna Moore, Fortune, "NFL Players Association Challenges League Policy on Kneeling During National Anthem," 10 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'grievance.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

14 Oct 2018

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Time Traveler for grievance

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

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More Definitions for grievance

grievance

noun

English Language Learners Definition of grievance

: a feeling of having been treated unfairly

: a reason for complaining or being unhappy with a situation

: a statement in which you say you are unhappy or not satisfied with something

See the full definition for grievance in the English Language Learners Dictionary

grievance

noun

griev·ance | \ˈgrē-vəns

Kids Definition of grievance

: a reason for complaining

grievance

noun

griev·ance | \ˈgrē-vəns

Legal Definition of grievance

1 : 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

2 : 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