suffering

noun

suf·​fer·​ing ˈsə-f(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce suffering (audio)
1
: the state or experience of one that suffers
2
: pain
Choose the Right Synonym for suffering

distress, suffering, misery, agony mean the state of being in great trouble.

distress implies an external and usually temporary cause of great physical or mental strain and stress.

the hurricane put everyone in great distress

suffering implies conscious endurance of pain or distress.

the suffering of famine victims

misery stresses the unhappiness attending especially sickness, poverty, or loss.

some people live in misery every day

agony suggests pain too intense to be borne.

in agony over the death of their child

Examples of suffering in a Sentence

ways to alleviate human suffering They hope these new drugs will help to bring an end to the suffering of arthritis patients. His lawsuit seeks damages for pain and suffering. the sufferings of the dying
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.
Ending a war that has caused extraordinary suffering would be a victory on its own. Eric Cortellessa, Time, 11 Oct. 2025 The writer-director doesn’t solicit sympathy for Polly (played by Dakota Fanning) or impose meaning on her suffering. J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025 Examining the question of how young people living in comparative comfort and who rarely experience threats or physical suffering can eventually kill, Bushman stressed that most research questions whether there’s any real link between such actions and experiencing violent movies, TV, or video games. John Scott Lewinski, The Washington Examiner, 10 Oct. 2025 While many governments defended Israel's initial right to respond to the attack, the scale of civilian death and suffering wrought by its war have drawn increasing international condemnation and isolation for the Jewish state. Alexander Smith, NBC news, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for suffering

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of suffering was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Suffering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suffering. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

suffering

noun
suf·​fer·​ing
1
: the state or experience of one that suffers
2
: a pain or injury endured
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!