Synonyms

suffer

American

[suhf-er] / ˈsʌf ər /

verb (used without object)

to undergo or feel pain or distress.

The patient is still suffering.
to sustain injury, disadvantage, or loss.

One's health suffers from overwork. The business suffers from lack of capital.
to undergo a penalty, as of death.

The traitor was made to suffer on the gallows.
to endure pain, disability, death, etc., patiently or willingly.

verb (used with object)

to undergo, be subjected to, or endure (pain, distress, injury, loss, or anything unpleasant).

to suffer the pangs of conscience.

Synonyms:

sustain
to undergo or experience (any action, process, or condition).

to suffer change.
to tolerate or allow.

I do not suffer fools gladly.

Synonyms:

abide, stand, stomach

suffer British

/ ˈsʌfə /

verb

to undergo or be subjected to (pain, punishment, etc)
(tr) to undergo or experience (anything)

to suffer a change of management
(intr) to be set at a disadvantage

this author suffers in translation
to be prepared to endure (pain, death, etc)

he suffers for the cause of freedom
archaic (tr) to permit (someone to do something)

suffer the little children to come unto me
1. to be ill with, esp recurrently
2. to be given to
  
  he suffers from a tendency to exaggerate

"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

suffer Idioms

see not suffer fools gladly.

Usage

It is better to avoid using the words suffer and sufferer in relation to chronic illness or disability. They may be considered demeaning and disempowering. Suitable alternative are have , experience , be diagnosed with

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of suffer

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English suff(e)ren, from Latin sufferre, from suf- suf- ( def. ) + ferre “to bring, carry”; compare Old French sofrir, from Vulgar Latin sufferīre (unrecorded); see also bear ¹ ( def. ), -phore ( def. )

Explanation

The verb suffer means to feel pain or something equally unpleasant. You'd probably do anything you could to be sure your beloved cat didn't suffer when she got old and sick. You can suffer from the pain of a broken leg, but you can also suffer from shyness, regret, poverty, or any number of unpleasant things. You can even describe something that becomes worse using the word suffer, like when someone's grades suffer during soccer season. The root of suffer is the Latin word sufferre, to bear, undergo, or endure. That's why someone who doesn't suffer fools gladly won't put up with nonsense.

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Vocabulary lists containing suffer

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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.

They loved his jokes and gutsy performances, saying the SDF actually meant "Suffer Don Finish" in Pidgin, reflecting that under his leadership suffering would end.

From BBC • Jun. 13, 2023

However, the album is also surprisingly pop-leaning; despite their names, the foundation of tracks like "Suffer the Children" and "Watch Me Bleed" have more in common with bubbly synth-pop singles than more macabre fare.

From Salon • Mar. 5, 2023

The letter – which was titled "Why Do Girls Suffer from Body Image?" – discusses the significant impact that body image has on girls in particular, especially for their mental and physical health.

From Fox News • Jan. 20, 2022

Suffer from a disability Federal law allows those with a disability to begin using their retirement funds early.

From Encyclopedia.com • Feb. 13, 2018

Then, "Suffer me to go now," she said.

From The Happy Warrior by Hutchinson, A. S. M. (Arthur Stuart-Menteth)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023