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
But Mamdani did not deny the horror of 9/11 or the suffering of the 3,000 people who were killed. Faisal Kutty, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025 The only way forward is to include people and to listen to them and their suffering. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
El Fasher in western Darfur, and Kadugli in South Kordofan province, are now officially suffering from famine, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) confirmed on Monday. Rebecca Schneid, Time, 3 Nov. 2025 McLaurin missed each of Washington's last four games after suffering a quad injury in a Week 3 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, and Samuel was ruled out for Sunday's Week 7 loss to the Cowboys with a nagging heel injury. Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for suffering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffering
Verb
  • Saudi Arabia is experiencing its own boom and is projected to attract 2,400 high-net-worth individuals in 2025, an 800% increase from 2024.
    Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Haiti and parts of the Dominican Republic, which have already experiencing flooding, could also see life-threatening flash floods and landslides from the slow-moving system.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Hours before Wednesday's game against the Halifax Macs, the Nova Scotia U-18 Major Hockey League announced on X that Marchand and Andrew Bodnarchuk will cover for the grieving father as guest coaches.
    Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Sis, the grieving cat in the clip, was already part of the family and is actually about a year older than Mama.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Their characteristic projecting spines serve both as flotation modulators (via a complex process akin to raising and lowering protoplasmic sails) and as masts permitting the cell to extend itself outward into the surrounding water and feed.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
  • States governed by both Democrats and Republicans — including Florida, Montana and Washington — have enacted reforms like eliminating minimum lot sizes, permitting accessory dwelling units and limiting on-site parking spaces.
    Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Under Baer, Stitch Fix has been opening the aperture and is letting consumers get larger fixes on their own timetables as well as shipments based on a theme or built around a purchase through the platform’s freestyle service.
    Evan Clark, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025
  • And as for balancing her still-thriving acting career with music, Silvers plans on letting curiosity reign.
    Ellise Shafer, Variety, 3 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • In times of distress and blood loss, the body responds by slowing circulation to our fingers and our toes, preserving blood flow to our heart, and our brain.
    Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Severe or prolonged distress when separated from a parent.
    Melissa Willets, Parents, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • After undergoing multiple hip surgeries, including a total replacement, his fiancée was largely absent.
    Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Embiid has been battling chronic knee injuries, which resulted in him undergoing a meniscus repair in his left knee back in February of 2024, and then going through arthroscopic surgery a year later.
    Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Shaped like your favorite travel pillow, only larger, Buffy’s Cloud side sleeper pillow offers ample support to aching necks and shoulders.
    Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Already aching to find out what happens next?
    Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Fast and Free High-rise Tight 25-inch 5-pocket There’s simply no such thing as having too many pockets, as exhibited by these fan-favorite five-pocket leggings, which are currently $69.
    Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2025
  • However, after having the scan, Bishop had the uneasy sense that something wasn’t right.
    Tom Burrows, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Suffering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffering. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.

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