Grievance (Noun)
Meaning 1
A complaint about a (real or imaginary) wrong that causes resentment and is grounds for action.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Meaning 2
A resentment strong enough to justify retaliation; "holding a grudge"; "settling a score".
Classification
Nouns denoting feelings and emotions.
Examples
- The employee had been nursing a grievance against his former boss for years, and he finally got his chance for revenge when he was promoted to a higher position.
- Her grievance against the company was so strong that she spent years fighting for justice in the courts.
- He had been holding a grievance against his brother since childhood, and it wasn't until they were both adults that they were able to work through their issues.
- The union had a long-standing grievance against the company, and the strike was the culmination of years of frustration and anger.
- The politician's opponent had a personal grievance against him, and she made sure to bring it up repeatedly during the debates.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 3
An allegation that something imposes an illegal obligation or denies some legal right or causes injustice.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The employee filed a formal grievance with the union, claiming the company's new policy unfairly targeted long-time workers.
- The human rights commission received numerous grievances from residents who felt the government's actions had discriminated against them.
- The class-action lawsuit was based on a collective grievance that the company's false advertising had misled consumers about the product's benefits.
- The ombudsman's office was established to investigate grievances from citizens who felt they had been treated unfairly by government agencies.
- The protesters' main grievance was that the new development project would displace low-income families without providing adequate alternative housing.