suffer
verb (used without object)
to undergo or feel pain or distress.
were suffering
-
past progressiveof suffer.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Around 84,000 homes were suffering water disruptions as of Wednesday.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
After his dairy reopened following an outbreak that sickened five children in 2011, he revealed how much people were suffering without his product in a celebratory video.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
Heading into May, cybersecurity stocks were suffering from the AI-disruption narrative that had hurt other software stocks.
From MarketWatch ● May 27, 2026
"A lot of people were suffering from chronic fatigue, constant headaches, low vitamin B12, which was subsequently causing things like heart palpitations and very foggy heads," she said.
From BBC ● May 18, 2026
Besides, there was no power in New Orleans, so they would be returning to the same situation they were suffering through in Baton Rouge.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
