suffer

verb

suf·​fer ˈsə-fər How to pronounce suffer (audio)
suffered; suffering ˈsə-f(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce suffer (audio)

transitive verb

1
a
: to submit to or be forced to endure
suffer martyrdom
b
: to feel keenly : labor under
suffer thirst
2
3
: to put up with especially as inevitable or unavoidable
4
: to allow especially by reason of indifference
the eagle suffers little birds to singWilliam Shakespeare

intransitive verb

1
: to endure death, pain, or distress
2
: to sustain loss or damage
3
: to be subject to disability or handicap
sufferable adjective
sufferableness noun
sufferably adverb
sufferer noun
Choose the Right Synonym for suffer

bear, suffer, endure, abide, tolerate, stand mean to put up with something trying or painful.

bear usually implies the power to sustain without flinching or breaking.

forced to bear a tragic loss

suffer often suggests acceptance or passivity rather than courage or patience in bearing.

suffering many insults

endure implies continuing firm or resolute through trials and difficulties.

endured years of rejection

abide suggests acceptance without resistance or protest.

cannot abide their rudeness

tolerate suggests overcoming or successfully controlling an impulse to resist, avoid, or resent something injurious or distasteful.

refused to tolerate such treatment

stand emphasizes even more strongly the ability to bear without discomposure or flinching.

unable to stand teasing

Examples of suffer in a Sentence

He died instantly and did not suffer. He suffered a heart attack and died instantly. She suffered an injury during the game. We suffered a great deal during the war. I hate to see a child suffer. She suffered through another one of their long visits. The team suffered a defeat in the play-offs. Their relationship suffered because of her work.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Unfortunately, that player is Tyrese Haliburton, and Haliburton is expected to miss the entire season because of a torn Achilles’ tendon suffered in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Law Murray, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025 On one hand, companies like Upwork and Fiverr have suffered as generative AI has disrupted simple contract jobs like copyediting and translation. Diane Brady, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2025 Arnold Goodstein suffered injuries after jumping out of a window facing the backyard to escape the flames, the Post and Courier reported. Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2025 Candy, who died at 43 after suffering a heart attack in 1994, didn't film scenes with Macaulay Culkin in the film, but the two starred together in 1989's Uncle Buck. Mark Gray, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for suffer

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sufferen, suffren, borrowed from Anglo-French suffrir, going back to Vulgar Latin *sufferīre, re-formation of Latin sufferre "to submit to, endure," from suf-, assimilated form of sub- sub- + ferre "to carry, bear" — more at bear entry 2

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of suffer was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Suffer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suffer. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

suffer

verb
suf·​fer ˈsəf-ər How to pronounce suffer (audio)
suffered; suffering -(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce suffer (audio)
1
: to feel or endure pain
2
: to experience something unpleasant
suffer a defeat
3
: to bear loss or damage
the business suffered during the storm
4
sufferable adjective
sufferableness noun
sufferably adverb
sufferer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on suffer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!