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
Relevance
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
And Stewart, who is not, now works at their sufferance.
—
David Remnick, New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2025
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
David Remnick, New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sufferance
Noun
-
This includes patching existing vulnerabilities and making sure that the permissions employees have are strictly limited so they can’t be exploited.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
13 Apr. 2026
-
State Farm believes viewers will give permission for Jake to turn up in piece of entertainment.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Hydration, barrier repair, sun protection and patience with active ingredients will take you further than any single miracle product ever could.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The key is consistency and patience.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
According to a report from The New York Post published Saturday, Swalwell hired a nanny for his children who then kept working for them after her work authorization permit expired in 2022.—
Jordan Freiman,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
There was no strategy, no plan, no authorization.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Associate administrator Amit Kshatriya pointed to Artemis I flight data, ground testing, and engineering models as justification, and Glover acknowledged the risk head-on, noting the heat shield and parachutes are systems with zero fault tolerance built in.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Early analyses have begun to link genes to traits such as drought tolerance and temperature adaptation, but researchers say more rigorous work is needed to confirm those links before they can be used to guide restoration.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Tuesday’s council member salary vote was placed on the consent agenda, meaning it would be considered with other items at the start of the meeting.—
Corey Schmidt,
Sacbee.com,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The contract was approved as part of the council’s consent calendar, in which multiple items are approved with a single vote.—
Luke Harold,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The granting of humanitarian parole is discretionary and receiving it does not give the parolee any legal immigration status.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Regulators have pledged faster turnarounds and the granting of rates that reflect growing wildfire risks to incentivize insurers to expand coverage in high-hazard areas.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sufferance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sufferance. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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