suffering

[suhf-er-ing, suhf-ring]

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.

suffering

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• sufferingly adverb
• unsuffering adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of suffering¹

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

Example Sentences

"When there's so much pain and suffering in the world, you start to wonder what music can even do," he says.

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"Women have been suffering in silence for far too long and haven't been encouraged to open up about the symptoms they're experiencing," he said.

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However it did come at a cost, with Isak not emerging for the second half after suffering a groin injury.

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Platner, who has emphasised his background as a veteran and small business owner, apologised in a video, saying he made the comments after returning from war and suffering from depression.

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A tiny wireless chip placed at the back of the eye, combined with a pair of advanced smart glasses, has partially restored vision to people suffering from an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration.

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

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