suffering 1 of 3

present participle of suffer
1
as in experiencing
to come to a knowledge of (something) by living through it willingly suffered hardships so that their children would have a better life

Synonyms & Similar Words

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suffering

2 of 3

adjective

suffering

3 of 3

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun suffering differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of suffering are agony, distress, and misery. While all these words mean "the state of being in great trouble," suffering implies conscious endurance of pain or distress.

the suffering of famine victims

When can agony be used instead of suffering?

While in some cases nearly identical to suffering, agony suggests pain too intense to be borne.

in agony over the death of their child

When might distress be a better fit than suffering?

While the synonyms distress and suffering are close in meaning, distress implies an external and usually temporary cause of great physical or mental strain and stress.

the hurricane put everyone in great distress

When could misery be used to replace suffering?

The synonyms misery and suffering are sometimes interchangeable, but misery stresses the unhappiness attending especially sickness, poverty, or loss.

the homeless live with misery every day

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of suffering
Adjective
Still, despite their suffering, the patients the doctors saw displayed remarkable generosity. Brendan Rascius, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2025 Writing was an interruption in suffering, a transformation of it; writing about my life gave me an escape from my life. Leila Chatti september 5, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
The Browns traded for Dustin Hopkins, who delivered a strong 2023 season before suffering a hamstring injury. Zac Jackson, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025 Simon’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, also died after suffering severe gastrointestinal illness that culminated in multiple organ failure. Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for suffering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffering
Verb
  • The online focus on masculinity comes at a time when study after study shows young men in America are experiencing unprecedented levels of loneliness, fatigue, depression and suicide.
    Will Carless, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
  • The Southwest is experiencing an ongoing 30-year drought.
    John Leos, AZCentral.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Scientists grieving loss, or people living with chronic disease.
    Maria Reva September 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
  • More than just a portrait of Kikhia’s fascinating life, his daughter’s film offers an exquisite depiction of both yearning and the complexity of the grieving process.
    Leila Latif, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Around that time, The StrEatery, a restaurant located in the Beechmont neighborhood, opened a pop-up shelter for individuals in need, but it was ordered to close due to permitting violations, The Courier Journal reported.
    Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Utilities, limited by permitting timelines, supply chain issues, and workforce shortages, rarely meet that urgency.
    Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • This season could establish whether the Detroit Lions should have prioritized keeping Engstrand to replace Ben Johnson instead of hiring John Morton and letting Engstrand follow Aaron Glenn to the Jets.
    Mike Sando, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
  • This strategy offers selective, tax-advantaged benefits while preserving cash flow—letting leaders fairly compensate executives and reinvest in broader team incentives.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Another tool will notify parents if the system detects their teen is experiencing acute distress.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2025
  • What To Know Footage clearly showed how Sczczerek had grabbed the hat handed to the boy and squirreled it away in his wife's purse, despite the obvious distress of the child.
    Chloe Mayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Meantime the post-Nvidia-earnings collective rethink of the trajectory, profitability and durability of the AI-capex boom has Nvidia shares testing two-month support and Microsoft and Meta Platforms undergoing 8%-plus corrections from their recent highs.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Vogue isn’t the only legacy media brand undergoing large-scale change at Condé Nast.
    Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Korean maestro Park Chan-wook’s wildly inventive black comedy No Other Choice was possibly the festival favorite with critics, while Yorgos Lanthimos’ bonkers Bugonia and Sorrentino’s aching La Grazia were also celebrated as exquisite returns to form.
    Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Her endlessly inventive vocal approach and aching tenderness with ballads earned her a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master designation in 2012.
    Duante Beddingfield, Freep.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Some common symptoms include the need to pee more frequently, feeling extremely thirsty, having dry and itchy skin, and getting dark, velvety patches on the skin.
    Sherri Gordon, Health, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Despite having iconic roles on The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days, this is Howard's first-ever Emmy nomination for acting.
    Carson Blackwelder, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Suffering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffering. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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