suffers; suffered; suffering
1
: to experience pain, illness, or injury
Before the surgery it was clear that she was really suffering. [=was in pain]
He died instantly and did not suffer.
—often + fromShe suffers from arthritis.
This patient is clearly suffering from shock.
He suffered a heart attack and died instantly.
She suffered an injury during the game.
2
: to experience something unpleasant (such as defeat, loss, or damage)
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.
He broke the law, so he has to suffer the consequences. [=he has to be punished for what he has done]
3
: to become worse because of being badly affected by something
Their relationship suffered because of her work.
He was working so hard that his health began to suffer. [=he began to have health problems]
His parents told him he could play football as long as his grades didn't suffer (as a result).
Cite this Entry
“Suffer.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/suffer. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
Copy Citation
