long-suffering
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
noun
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
Etymology
Origin of long-suffering
First recorded in 1520–30
Explanation
Someone who's long-suffering puts up stoically with discomfort, trouble, or other people's bad behavior. Your patient old dog, who calmly endures the hugs and ear-tugs of little kids, is long-suffering. If someone is described as a long-suffering wife or husband, the implication is that this person has put up with a stubborn, frustrating, or cranky spouse for many years — without complaining. The long-suffering fans of a losing baseball team, on the other hand, keep on rooting enthusiastically for them despite their disappointing record. This adjective has existed in English since the 16th century.
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.
During that week, I felt that there was hope, that this long suffering might finally end.
From Slate • Jan. 18, 2025
Last season was supposed to be the year, the season when the Nets and their fans — both the long suffering and the newcomers — would no longer be an afterthought in the N.B.A.
From New York Times • Oct. 17, 2021
Maybe that’s foolish, knowing what we know about this show and the way TV generally works — long suffering characters tend to get the things long denied them right before they croak.
From Salon • Apr. 25, 2019
A postseason berth has gone from highly likely to highly uncertain, which is causing panic among long suffering fans of the M’s.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 29, 2018
Tell me, dear, have you not sometimes been afraid of me, that I might have long suffering before me?
From Eunice by Robertson, Margaret M. (Margaret Murray)
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.
