noun
grievance
GREE-vuhns
noun
1
A formal complaint, especially about unfair treatment at work.
"The union filed a grievance over the unpaid overtime."
2
A real or perceived wrong that someone feels resentful about.
"He still holds a grievance against his old business partner."
How to Use Grievance
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA formal complaint, or a lingering sense of having been wronged.
Common pairings
file a grievance
air a grievance
a long-standing grievance
Word Forms
grievances plural
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The union filed a _____ over the unpaid overtime.
Etymology
From Old French grievance, built on the verb grever ("to burden, to harm") — related to "grieve."