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
   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

If we were to laugh, it would never be at the expense of anyone who was suffering.

From Vox

I’ve suffered from lower-back problems for years, and I’m so tight that I scream out loud when I try to touch my toes.

From Outside Online

Let’s say you’re suffering from deep depression, and you call a doctor’s office.

From Freakonomics

If you’re someone whose extremities suffer in the cold, think about investing in hand warmers.

From Popular-Science

We have been suffering a lot, so we need people to work with us, with our language translated for us.

From Voice of San Diego

I suffer from no delusion that the justice system treats black and white equally.

From The Daily Beast

How does it happen that citizens of modest means suffer as public sector unions gain?

From The Daily Beast

“One-third of South Asians and more than half of all Sub-Saharan Africans suffer from malnutrition or undernutrition,” he writes.

From The Daily Beast

The birds are debeaked, suffer ulcers, and terrible feet conditions.

From The Daily Beast

He was instructed several times to abuse the kids, he says, or he would suffer the abuse.

From The Daily Beast

We suffer, nearly all of us, from a lack of quantitative grasp and from an imperfect grasp of form.

From Project Gutenberg

My mother opposed her vow to his; not to suffer her child to leave her, till the time of her being professed.

From Project Gutenberg

They will try to compel you to confession; and, though you are blameless, you will suffer the cruelest ordeal of transgression.

From Project Gutenberg

Is there any earthly father who would allow his children to suffer as God allows Man to suffer?

From Project Gutenberg

In that case, Valerie, you shall suffer no constraint; you shall continue here as you have done.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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