suffer
SUH-fuh
Suffer (verb) means to experience pain, hardship, or distress. Example: “Many soldiers suffered terribly during the harsh winter.”
verb
1
To experience pain, hardship, or distress.
"Many soldiers suffered terribly during the harsh winter."
"She suffered from severe migraines for years."
"Nobody should have to suffer in silence when help is available nearby."
2
To undergo something unpleasant, such as damage, loss, or a decline in quality.
"The company's reputation suffered after the scandal."
"The crops suffered serious damage when the frost arrived early this year."
"If you skip sleep for too long, your concentration will suffer."
How to use suffer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo go through pain or something bad, or to get worse because of it.
Common pairings
suffer from
suffer a loss
suffer in silence
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- suffers
- Past tense
- suffered
- Archaic forms
- sufferest, sufferedst, suffereth
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Many soldiers _____ terribly during the harsh winter.
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman suffrir, from Latin sufferre, "to bear, endure," from sub- ("under") plus ferre ("to carry").
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for suffer
See all rhymes for suffer →Frequently asked questions
What does “suffer” mean?
The word “suffer” means to experience pain, hardship, or distress. In plain terms, to go through pain or something bad, or to get worse because of it.
How do you pronounce “suffer”?
“Suffer” is pronounced SUH-fuh (/ˈsʌfɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “suffer” in a sentence?
Here is “suffer” used in a sentence: “Many soldiers suffered terribly during the harsh winter.”
What is another word for “suffer”?
Words with a similar meaning to “suffer” include ache, agonize, anguish, hurt, pain and thole.
What is the opposite of “suffer”?
The opposite of “suffer” — its antonyms — are be pleased, luxuriate and relax.
What part of speech is “suffer”?
“Suffer” is a verb.
Where does the word “suffer” come from?
The word “suffer” comes from Latin. From Anglo-Norman suffrir, from Latin sufferre, "to bear, endure," from sub- ("under") plus ferre ("to carry").
Is “suffer” a common word?
“Suffer” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between suffer and endure?
Both involve going through something painful, but the emphasis differs. Suffer focuses on experiencing the pain, hardship, or distress itself. Endure adds the idea of withstanding it patiently over time without giving up. You can suffer briefly, but to endure suggests lasting strength in the face of prolonged difficulty.
What does 'suffer from' mean?
To 'suffer from' something means to be affected by an ongoing illness, condition, or problem, as in 'she suffers from migraines.' It describes something that regularly causes a person pain or difficulty. The phrase is especially common in medical contexts but also applies to broader troubles like stress or self-doubt.
Is 'suffer' always a negative word?
In modern usage it is almost always negative, meaning to experience pain or distress. There is one older sense, found in phrases like 'suffer the little children,' where it simply means to allow or permit. That meaning is now archaic and mainly survives in historic or biblical language.
What is the opposite of suffer?
There is no single perfect opposite, but words like 'thrive,' 'flourish,' and 'prosper' express the reverse idea of doing well rather than experiencing hardship. In the sense of enjoying something, 'delight in' or 'relish' also contrast with suffering, which centres on pain and distress.
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