suffer
verb (used without object)
to undergo or feel pain or distress.
had been suffering
-
past perfect progressiveof suffer.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
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.
The Utah Department of Corrections said the 38-year-old had been suffering from "chronic, degenerative conditions".
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
Bass has pushed back on those arguments, saying that, when she took over from Garcetti, city services already had been suffering from many years of neglect.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
The mustached southerner, yachting enthusiast and philanthropist, whose empire also included sports clubs, had been suffering from the degenerative disease Lewy Body Dementia.
From Barron's ● May 6, 2026
His daughter told CNN that her father had been suffering from medical issues, and the recent conjecture has been unsettling.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 25, 2026
The schoolmistress had been suffering from terrible headaches that were, Xan discovered, the result of a growth in the center of her brain.
From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
