suffering

American  

[suhf-er-ing, suhf-ring] / ˈsʌf ər ɪŋ, ˈsʌf rɪŋ /

noun

1. the state of a person or thing that suffers.

   Synonyms:

   distress, pain, torture, torment, agony

2. Often sufferings. something suffered by a person or a group of people; pain.

   the sorrows and sufferings of our poorest citizens.

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suffering British  

/ ˈsʌfrɪŋ, ˈsʌfərɪŋ /

noun

1. the pain, misery, or loss experienced by a person who suffers

2. the state or an instance of enduring pain, etc

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Other Word Forms

• sufferingly adverb
• unsuffering adjective

Etymology

Origin of suffering

First recorded in 1350–1400; suffer + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

"Only good things will come after the suffering," he said as he gavelled through the law "for history, for the future."

From Barron's

French football expert Julien Laurens believes the English dominance paints a picture of a low-quality season in which "every league is suffering because of the calendar and the fixtures".

From BBC

Atonio, 35, was taken to an intensive care unit at a hospital in La Rochelle on Tuesday after suffering from a "cardiac event".

From BBC

Europe’s exports, which have been dragged down by U.S. tariffs and China’s slowdown, are suffering because of the dollar’s weakness.

From The Wall Street Journal

“This is our moment to show that Pico Rivera chooses progress over violence,” Phoenix said in a statement, “that communities can heal, and that even where suffering once reigned, compassion can flourish.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• adversity
• anguish
• difficulty
• discomfort
• hardship
• misery
• misfortune
• ordeal
• torment
• torture