suffer

[ suhf-er ]

verb (used without object)

1. to undergo or feel pain or distress:

   The patient is still suffering.

2. to sustain injury, disadvantage, or loss:

   One's health suffers from overwork. The business suffers from lack of capital.

3. to undergo a penalty, as of death:

   The traitor was made to suffer on the gallows.

4. to endure pain, disability, death, etc., patiently or willingly.

verb (used with object)

1. to undergo, be subjected to, or endure (pain, distress, injury, loss, or anything unpleasant):

   to suffer the pangs of conscience.

   Synonyms: sustain

2. to undergo or experience (any action, process, or condition):

   to suffer change.

3. to tolerate or allow:

   I do not suffer fools gladly.

   Synonyms: abide, stand, stomach

suffer

/ ˈsʌfə /

verb

1. to undergo or be subjected to (pain, punishment, etc)
2. tr to undergo or experience (anything)

   to suffer a change of management

3. intr to be set at a disadvantage

   this author suffers in translation

4. to be prepared to endure (pain, death, etc)

   he suffers for the cause of freedom

5. archaic.
   tr to permit (someone to do something)

   suffer the little children to come unto me

6. suffer from
   1. to be ill with, esp recurrently
   2. to be given to

      he suffers from a tendency to exaggerate

Usage

It is better to avoid using the words suffer and sufferer in relation to chronic illness or disability. They may be considered demeaning and disempowering. Suitable alternative are have , experience , be diagnosed with

Derived Forms

• ˈsufferer, noun

Other Words From

• suffer·a·ble adjective
• suffer·a·ble·ness noun
• suffer·a·bly adverb
• suffer·er noun
• non·suffer·a·ble adjective
• non·suffer·a·ble·ness noun
• non·suffer·a·bly adverb
• outsuffer verb (used with object)
• pre·suffer verb
• un·suffer·a·ble adjective
• un·suffer·a·ble·ness noun
• un·suffer·a·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of suffer¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English suff(e)ren, from Latin sufferre, from suf- suf- ( def ) + ferre “to bring, carry”; compare Old French sofrir, from Vulgar Latin sufferīre (unrecorded); bear ¹( def ), -phore ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of suffer¹

C13: from Old French soffrir, from Latin sufferre, from sub- + ferre to bear

Idioms and Phrases

see not suffer fools gladly .

Example Sentences

And if basic research is stripped down, streamlined, or tossed entirely in favor of “efficiency”? It will not just be scientists who will suffer—it will be all of us.

From Slate

“For, while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new,” Baldwin wrote, “it always must be heard. There isn’t any other tale to tell, it’s the only light we’ve got in all this darkness.”

From Los Angeles Times

Yet one in 10 women suffer from postnatal depression according to the NHS.

From BBC

Created by Ben Watkins, the series is solidly made and stylistically straightforward but does suffer a bit from its split personality.

From Los Angeles Times

Ukrainians will continue to suffer until Russia stops its invasion and its air assaults on cities.

From BBC

Related Words

• accept
• bleed
• encounter
• experience
• feel
• go through
• have
• hurt
• know
• receive
• see
• support
• sustain
• take
• undergo