A grievance is a complaint about being treated unfairly or wrongly. When you have a grievance, you believe someone has done something unjust to you, and you feel it needs to be addressed or corrected.

The word carries a sense of seriousness and is often used for a formal complaint. If your little brother eats the last cookie, you might be annoyed, but that's not really a grievance. But if your teacher accidentally marks several of your correct test answers as wrong and won't listen when you try to explain, that's a legitimate grievance. You have a real reason to feel wronged and to expect a fair hearing.

Throughout history, people have voiced their grievances against unfair rulers, unjust laws, or poor working conditions. The American colonists listed their grievances against King George III in the Declaration of Independence. Many workplaces and schools have grievance procedures so people can formally report unfair treatment and have it investigated.

A grievance involves a specific, serious complaint that calls for attention and, ideally, a fair resolution.