the pain, misery, or loss experienced by a person who suffers the state or an instance of enduring pain, etc
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
suf•fer•ing /ˈsʌfərɪŋ, ˈsʌfrɪŋ/USA pronunciation
n.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- [uncountable] the state of a person or thing that suffers.
- Often, sufferings. [plural] something suffered;
pain:the sufferings of the slaves.
suf•fer /ˈsʌfɚ/USA pronunciation
v.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to feel pain or great distress: [no object]She suffered greatly as a child.[~ + object]She suffered poverty as a child.
- to become worse;
deteriorate:[no object]My work suffers when I'm distracted. - to endure or be afflicted with something, such as a disease, injury, or loss: [no object]to suffer from Parkinson's disease.[~ + object]He suffered a sprain in his left leg.
- to experience (any action, process, or condition):[~ + object]to suffer change.
- to tolerate or allow:[~ + object]I do not suffer fools gladly.
suf•fer•ing
(suf′ər ing, suf′ring),USA pronunciation n.
suf′fer•ing•ly, adv.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- the state of a person or thing that suffers.
- Often, sufferings. something suffered by a person or a group of people;
pain:the sufferings of the slaves.
- 1300–50; Middle English; see suffer, -ing1
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged . agony, torment, torture; pain, distress.
suf•fer
(suf′ər),USA pronunciation v.i.
v.t.
suf′fer•a•ble, adj.
suf′fer•a•ble•ness, n.
suf′fer•a•bly, adv.
suf′fer•er, n.
- 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.
v.t.
- to undergo, be subjected to, or endure (pain, distress, injury, loss, or anything unpleasant):to suffer the pangs of conscience.
- to undergo or experience (any action, process, or condition):to suffer change.
- to tolerate or allow:I do not suffer fools gladly.
- Vulgar Latin *sufferīre
- Latin sufferre, equivalent. to suf- suf- + ferre to bear1; compare Old French sofrir
- Middle English suff(e)ren 1200–50
suf′fer•a•ble•ness, n.
suf′fer•a•bly, adv.
suf′fer•er, n.
- 5.See corresponding entry in Unabridged sustain.
- 7.See corresponding entry in Unabridged stomach, stand, abide.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
to undergo or be subjected to (pain, punishment, etc) - (transitive)
to undergo or experience (anything): to suffer a change of management - (intransitive)
to be set at a disadvantage: this author suffers in translation - (transitive)
to permit (someone to do something): suffer the little children to come unto me - suffer from ⇒
to be ill with, esp recurrently to be given to: he suffers from a tendency to exaggerate