long-suffering

American  

[lawng-suhf-er-ing, -suhf-ring, long-] / ˈlɔŋˈsʌf ər ɪŋ, -ˈsʌf rɪŋ, ˈlɒŋ- /

adjective

1. enduring injury, trouble, or provocation long and patiently.

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noun

1. long and patient endurance of injury, trouble, or provocation.

   years of long-suffering and illness.

long-suffering British  

adjective

1. enduring pain, unhappiness, etc, without complaint

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noun

1. long and patient endurance

Usage

What does long-suffering mean? Long-suffering is most commonly used as an adjective to describe someone who patiently endures negative situations for long periods of time without complaining.It’s often used in situations in which someone has endured pain, injury, illness, hardship, tragedy, or difficulty in accomplishing something. It’s also often used to describe a person who has stood by or supported someone during a difficult time.Sometimes, it’s used in the context of situations that aren’t very serious, such as to describe the faithful and long-suffering fans of a team that always loses. It’s also often used to describe a spouse as patiently enduring the whims or aggravating behaviors of their partner, as in My long-suffering husband merely sighed when I brought home yet another stray cat.Importantly, though, long-suffering doesn’t simply indicate that someone has endured bad things for a long time—it implies that they have endured such things without complaint.Long-suffering can also be used as a noun meaning the patient endurance of negative situations without complaint. It can refer to a quality, an ability, or an instance of such endurance.In religious contexts, long-suffering is discussed as a virtue, especially one involving being patient and slow to get angry. A close synonym is forbearance.Long-suffering is sometimes spelled as one word, without a hyphen, as longsuffering. It’s perhaps most commonly spelled this way when it’s used as a noun.Example: My long-suffering family has made so many sacrifices without complaint during this long ordeal.

Other Word Forms

• long-sufferingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of long-suffering

First recorded in 1520–30

Example Sentences

Wales captain Dewi Lake has urged long-suffering home fans to bring "support and noise" when his struggling side bid to revive their Six Nations campaign against Scotland in Cardiff on Saturday.

From Barron's

Despite their struggles in the league under Postecoglou, the Australian's attacking style at least provided entertainment for long-suffering fans, in contrast to Frank's dour defensive game plan.

From Barron's

Meanwhile, Reese Witherspoon triumphed for playing June Carter, the talented, long-suffering wife of Johnny Cash, in “Walk the Line.”

From Los Angeles Times

The man dug into his pocket with a long-suffering sigh, the dim light gleaming off a sprinkling of curly gray hairs on his saggy pectorals and belly.

From Literature

Promising better days ahead for her long-suffering compatriots, Rodriguez has ploughed $300 million from a first US sale of Venezuelan crude into shoring up the country's ailing currency, the bolivar.

From Barron's