Grievance vs. Complaint — What's the Difference?

A real or imagined wrong causing resentment.

A bodily ailment or disease.

An official statement of a complaint over something believed to be wrong.

A formal accusation against someone.

A circumstance regarded as just cause for protest.

A statement that something is unsatisfactory.

A formal complaint against an employer.

An expression of dissatisfaction or annoyance.

A grievance (from Latin gravis 'heavy') is a wrong or hardship suffered, real or supposed, which forms legitimate grounds of complaint. In the past, the word meant the infliction or cause of hardship.

In legal terminology, a complaint is any formal legal document that sets out the facts and legal reasons (see: cause of action) that the filing party or parties (the plaintiff(s)) believes are sufficient to support a claim against the party or parties against whom the claim is brought (the defendant(s)) that entitles the plaintiff(s) to a remedy (either money damages or injunctive relief). For example, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP) that govern civil litigation in United States courts provide that a civil action is commenced with the filing or service of a pleading called a complaint.

An actual or supposed circumstance regarded as just cause for complaint.

An expression of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment.

A complaint or protestation based on such a circumstance

A cause or reason for complaining; a grievance

Indignation or resentment stemming from a feeling of having been wronged.

A bodily disorder or disease; a malady or ailment.

The act of inflicting hardship or harm.

The symptom or distress about which a patient seeks medical assistance.

The cause of hardship or harm.

A formal statement initiating a lawsuit by specifying the facts and legal grounds for the relief sought.

(countable) Something which causes grief.

A formal charge, made under oath, of the commission of a crime or other such offense.

(countable) A wrong or hardship suffered, which is the grounds of a complaint.

The act of complaining.

(uncountable) Feelings of being wronged; outrage.

A grievance, problem, difficulty, or concern.

(countable) A complaint or annoyance.

(legal) In a civil action, the first pleading of the plaintiff setting out the facts on which the claim is based;
The purpose is to give notice to the adversary of the nature and basis of the claim asserted.

(countable) A formal complaint, especially in the context of a unionized workplace.

(legal) In criminal law, the preliminary charge or accusation made by one person against another to the appropriate court or officer, usually a magistrate.
However, court proceedings, such as a trial, cannot be instituted until an indictment or information has been handed down against the defendant.

(uncountable) Violation of regulations or objectionable behavior.

A bodily disorder or disease; the symptom of such a disorder.

A cause of uneasiness and complaint; a wrong done and suffered; that which gives ground for remonstrance or resistance, as arising from injustice, tyranny, etc.; injury.

Expression of grief, regret, pain, censure, or resentment; lamentation; murmuring; accusation; fault-finding.

Grieving; grief; affliction.

Cause or subject of complaint or murmuring.

A resentment strong enough to justify retaliation;

An ailment or disease of the body.

An allegation that something imposes an illegal obligation or denies some legal right or causes injustice

A formal allegation or charge against a party made or presented to the appropriate court or officer, as for a wrong done or a crime committed (in the latter case, generally under oath); an information; accusation; the initial bill in proceedings in equity.

A complaint about a (real or imaginary) wrong that causes resentment and is grounds for action

An often persistent bodily disorder or disease; a cause for complaining

A feeling of resentment over something believed to be wrong.

(formerly) a loud cry (or repeated cries) of pain or rage or sorrow

An expression of grievance or resentment

(civil law) the first pleading of the plaintiff setting out the facts on which the claim for relief is based

(criminal law) a pleading describing some wrong or offense;

A reason for dissatisfaction or annoyance.

Yes, complaints can be casual expressions of dissatisfaction without formal procedures.

Someone might file a grievance when they believe they've been treated unfairly, especially in a workplace context.

Not always, but filing a grievance often initiates a process aiming for resolution.

Grievances are commonly found in labor relations where employees feel their rights have been violated.

Yes, if you're dissatisfied with a product, you can lodge a complaint with the seller or manufacturer.

A minor complaint could be something like a meal not being hot enough at a restaurant.

The formality of the grievance process can vary but often involves established protocols within organizations.

A grievance is a formal expression of dissatisfaction or perceived injustice.

A complaint is a general statement of dissatisfaction, while a grievance often follows a formal process and addresses perceived injustices.

No, while commonly used in work contexts, grievances can arise in other situations where perceived injustices occur.

Complaints can be resolved through direct communication, replacements, refunds, or other solutions fitting the context.

Yes, if a complaint in a workplace isn't addressed, it might escalate into a formal grievance.

While grievances arise from dissatisfaction, the process can lead to positive change and improved conditions.

Often, grievances suggest deeper issues or systemic problems, but this isn't always the case.

Not necessarily. Validity is subjective, and what one person sees as a valid complaint, another might not.