1
as in permission
the approval by someone in authority for the doing of something
was pointedly reminded that he was at the private beach on sufferance and could be kicked out at any time
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in patience
the capacity to endure what is difficult or disagreeable without complaining
spending a whole day with my airheaded sister-in-law is beyond sufferance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sufferance
Such has been the patient sufferance of the women under this government, and such is now the necessity which constrains them to demand the equal station to which they are entitled.
—
Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 26 Sep. 2025
Matchday was a sufferance, the opposite of life-affirming.
—George Caulkin, The Athletic, 10 July 2024
Through his cult of personality, Modi is fulfilling a century-old project, recasting India as a Hindu nation, in which minorities, particularly Muslims, live at the sufferance of the majority.
—Samanth Subramanian Vikas Adam Tanya Pérez Zachary Mouton, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
Every page is alive with animus, ardor, humor, sufferance, with venom for death and its posturing acolytes:
Anyone who has not killed is not a man: This sentence, which Hemingway fashioned, means nothing at all.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024
The Kirk Douglas, the smallest of the company’s three venues and ostensibly the most experimental, is the scrappy Culver City orphan, living at the sufferance of its older siblings at L.A.’s Music Center.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2023
Air India’s nationalization signaled that in independent India private enterprise would survive on the government’s sufferance.
—Sadanand Dhume, WSJ, 14 Oct. 2021
In the music of Beethoven, there is such an ethical, moral integrity … and power and sufferance.
—Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, 10 Sep. 2019
Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.
—Thomas Jefferson Et Al, Cincinnati.com, 4 July 2018
Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 26 Sep. 2025
Matchday was a sufferance, the opposite of life-affirming.
—George Caulkin, The Athletic, 10 July 2024
Through his cult of personality, Modi is fulfilling a century-old project, recasting India as a Hindu nation, in which minorities, particularly Muslims, live at the sufferance of the majority.
—Samanth Subramanian Vikas Adam Tanya Pérez Zachary Mouton, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
Every page is alive with animus, ardor, humor, sufferance, with venom for death and its posturing acolytes:
Anyone who has not killed is not a man: This sentence, which Hemingway fashioned, means nothing at all.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024
The Kirk Douglas, the smallest of the company’s three venues and ostensibly the most experimental, is the scrappy Culver City orphan, living at the sufferance of its older siblings at L.A.’s Music Center.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2023
Air India’s nationalization signaled that in independent India private enterprise would survive on the government’s sufferance.
—Sadanand Dhume, WSJ, 14 Oct. 2021
In the music of Beethoven, there is such an ethical, moral integrity … and power and sufferance.
—Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, 10 Sep. 2019
Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.
—Thomas Jefferson Et Al, Cincinnati.com, 4 July 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sufferance
Noun
-
The Death card shows up as sacred permission to shed a layer that no longer serves you.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Reprinted by permission of Scribner, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster, LLC.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Making this show should not be that difficult, and season 21 really tried our patience.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Zahn is a master at non-verbal incredulity, and Coach Hudson’s perplexed patience in the face of Chad’s weirdness is never not entertaining.—
Kristen Baldwin,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Other information about the winner is released only with the winner's consent.—
Steven Martinez,
jsonline.com,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Other teens reported being physically threatened and having explicit photos of themselves sent without consent.—
Anna Halkidis,
Parents,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Another red flag could be an advisor who pushes products without a firm understanding of your goals, risk tolerance and timeline.—
Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Kelli Grant, CFP®,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
-
That’s his tolerance for players who do not contribute without the ball.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
But Comey did not join in that authorization, the inspector general found.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Licenses must expire within one year, or the same date as the work authorization, whichever comes first.—
Aaron Cooper,
CNN Money,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sufferance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sufferance. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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