suffering 1 of 3

Definition of sufferingnext

suffering

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noun

suffering

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verb

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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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
Noun
Another worthy change is putting a $100,000 cap on pain and suffering awards for anyone driving while uninsured, impaired or drunk or driving while committing a felony. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 4 May 2026 Across the Egyptian Theatre, Aero Theatre, and Los Feliz 3, more than 45 films will explore the universal themes of human suffering and existential dread in the latest edition of the event in its flagship city. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
Verb
Lamb, the network's president, had been suffering from serious health issues before sustaining a back injury that caused her health to deteriorate, the network said in a statement. ABC News, 8 May 2026 Police said the reporting party told them that the person had been suffering from depression. Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for suffering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffering
Noun
  • That said, debt settlement can be a legitimate option, particularly for those who are already in severe financial distress, have accounts that have already gone to collections or are weighing bankruptcy as the alternative.
    Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 6 May 2026
  • Hantavirus is an illness carried by rodents that can spread to humans and cause acute respiratory distress.
    Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • Such obsession can be a frightening emotion both for the person experiencing it and for the target.
    Alex Barasch, New Yorker, 11 May 2026
  • The Sierra Madre Police Department said the 53-year-old man passed away after experiencing a medical emergency on the trail, and that no foul play was suspected.
    Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
Verb
  • The teen's grieving family has launched an online fundraiser to help with funeral expenses.
    Shaddi Abusaid, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Two siblings are grieving the loss of their parents, identified in an online post as victims of the shooting.
    Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Never particularly good at controlling the running game, Doval then let Turang steal second before permitting a game-tying single to William Contreras.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026
  • Kehmeier and Friends of the Skyway co-founder Bill Hanley hope to assemble a busking team to host skyway-level performances, provided City Hall works with them on permitting.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 10 May 2026
Verb
  • The Knicks aren’t letting lightning strike in the same place twice.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
  • That means more multifamily housing, more affordable housing, more housing near transit and jobs and a state government that stops letting delay and dysfunction make the crisis worse.
    Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
Adjective
  • Last month, despite Orbán’s formidable, long-standing attempts to rig the legal and electoral systems in his favor, Magyar won, in a stunning upset.
    Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
  • Gunther was upset that Rhodes was taking his screen time.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 9 May 2026
Noun
  • Unique is meant to embody that racial trauma, but Moore doesn’t possess the grit necessary to make the pain and sorrow resonate.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
  • The reader feels the moment’s vitality and presence, and the sorrow at its loss, but not because Ford insists on it.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The application, earlier reported by the Salt Lake Tribune, is now undergoing legal review and would need more than 5,000 signatures for the referendum to appear on the ballot.
    Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
  • Right now, the district is undergoing a major downsizing effort, which includes closing schools and laying off hundreds of employees, due to declining enrollment.
    Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 9 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Suffering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffering. Accessed 12 May. 2026.

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