# aggrieved

/əˈɡɹivd/ (US) · /ɐɡɹˈiːvd/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/aggrieved
Updated: 2026-05-19

## Definition

feeling hurt or upset because you believe you have been treated unfairly. You use this when someone feels they have been wronged by a person or a system.

For teachers: feeling or showing resentment or distress because of a perceived injustice or injury. Often used in legal contexts to describe a party who believes they have been harmed by a court decision or a contractual breach.

## Examples

- The employee felt aggrieved after the company refused to pay her overtime.
- The aggrieved party filed a formal complaint with the board of directors to address the perceived unfair treatment.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.