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long-suffering

[ lawng-suhf-er-ing, -suhf-ring, long- ]
/ ˈlɔŋˈsʌf ər ɪŋ, -ˈsʌf rɪŋ, ˈlɒŋ- /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR long-suffering ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

enduring injury, trouble, or provocation long and patiently.

noun

long and patient endurance of injury, trouble, or provocation: years of long-suffering and illness.

RELATED WORDS

submissive, subdued, deferential, serene, passive, gentle, docile, timid, unassuming, unflappable, quiet, uninvolved, static, laid-back, nonviolent, indifferent, apathetic, forgiving, tolerant, calm

Nearby words

  1. long-running,
  2. long-sighted,
  3. long-standing,
  4. long-stemmed,
  5. long-sufferance,
  6. long-tailed cuckoo,
  7. long-tailed tit,
  8. long-term,
  9. long-term memory,
  10. long-termism

Origin of long-suffering

First recorded in 1520–30
Related formslong-suf·fer·ing·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for longsuffering

British Dictionary definitions for longsuffering

long-suffering

adjective

enduring pain, unhappiness, etc, without complaint

noun Also: long-sufferance

long and patient endurance
Derived Formslong-sufferingly, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for longsuffering

long-suffering

also longsuffering, 1520s (n.), 1530s (adj.), from long (adj.) + suffering (see suffer). Old English had langmodig in this sense.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper