suffering 1 of 3

suffering

2 of 3

noun

suffering

3 of 3

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
What shines through each is a full-bodied commitment to whatever the character’s emotional reality is — all the roiling desires, the suffering, the ecstasy. Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 2 May 2025 Some manifested futures bring suffering and drag people down to their worst while others lift people up to greater consciousness and flourishing. Ginny Whitelaw, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
Verb
Under the hood, your body is often suffering from dehydration and inflammation. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024 Anyway, Asma is now suffering terribly, according to reports. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 31 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for suffering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffering
Noun
  • Recorded woodpecker distress calls or raptor calls can also repel the birds.
    Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 16 May 2025
  • While capital markets are also effective pools of capital, there is a benefit to having a single entity that acts with conviction during times of distress.
    Korok Ray, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • Bereavement hallucinations—intensely vivid encounters with the deceased—are reported by as many as half of all grieving people.
    Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
  • The Catalan feature tells the stories of Anabel and her mother, Delia, who are grieving for Julián, Anabel’s father.
    Jamie Lang, Variety, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • For the time being, Pritzker is letting his existing pension-reform proposal speak for itself.
    David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
  • This will provide humidity without letting the orchid sit in water.
    Heather Bien, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Ruiz earned 7% of the vote, enough for Bill Brophy, Democrat Richard Alatorre’s Republican opponent, to pull off a stunning upset.
    Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025
  • While Pelkey may have spent his final moments upset, his AI likeness struck a conciliatory tone in court last week.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 8 May 2025
Noun
  • The wind of sorrows is so violent today and sweeps up the weakest — the hostages of October 7 and all the hostages — the prisoners, the drowned, who endure terror and die in a terrible feeling of abandonment and indifference.
    Rachel Handler, Vulture, 13 May 2025
  • Her words pierced through the haze of sorrow and became an enduring truth.
    Carissa Talmage, People.com, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • Buehler missed the 2023 season after undergoing a second Tommy John surgery.
    Dan Freedman, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Bill Clinton is undergoing testing at Georgetown University Hospital where he was hospitalized Monday for a fever, according to the 42nd president’s deputy chief of staff.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Wiz could be a turning point for an uncertain IPO market and a mergers and acquisitions environment aching from a slowdown in deal activity.
    Samantha Subin, CNBC, 24 Mar. 2025
  • In fact, this iteration is a lighter and more cushioned version, with a level of support and shock absorption that ensures your feet are not aching after a day of sightseeing.
    Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Not for this year’s draft, unfortunately, but having 2026 and 2027 picks from an aging Lightning squad isn’t a bad bet at all.
    Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
  • New research found that having more menopause symptoms was linked to worse cognitive and behavioral function, which are markers of dementia.
    Elizabeth Yuko, Health, 11 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Suffering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffering. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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