noun
-
the pain, misery, or loss experienced by a person who suffers
-
the state or an instance of enduring pain, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of suffering
First recorded in 1350–1400; suffer + -ing 1 ( def. )
Explanation
Suffering is the kind of pain you feel when you shatter your ankle and it's what you'll see all around you if you find yourself in the middle of a tornado or an earthquake. When you're suffering, you're not happy — in fact, you're quite miserable. The Latin roots that give us suffering and related words paint a vivid picture of what suffering feels like. The word comes from sub-, meaning "below," and ferre, "bear." Suffering is something pressing you down that you have to submit to and bear. It's definitely the opposite of fun.
Vocabulary lists containing suffering
Because of Winn-Dixie
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"The Young American" by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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The House of Hades
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Just as Perry alchemizes suffering into melody, she often frames her hardships as “gifts,” albeit sometimes “very, very heavy gifts.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
“People who didn’t care about politics before, now find it fashionable to express political views, to be concerned about the suffering of the people and to complain about authorities,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
It is heavily government-subsidised and also suffering from a recruitment crisis.
From BBC • May 6, 2026
"We've gone through so much hardship and suffering, and no achievements for people?" said translator Azadeh, 43.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
But a good number of ghosts wondered if Ophie could end their suffering.
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
