as in distress
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
2
as in grieving
to feel deep sadness or mental pain
the husband suffered deeply at the mere suggestion that he had been unfaithful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in permitting
to give permission for or to approve of
contends that the death penalty is something that no civilized society should suffer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in letting
to fail to prevent (some behavior on someone's part) especially from neglect or indifference
I will not suffer you to insult me so!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suffering
Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
That no one has been eliminated yet at the halfway point of the season means the suffering onscreen has only gotten worse for them — and all the funnier for us.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
Aledo needs a shootout to oust Denton Aledo won a district title last year before suffering a heartbreaking loss in their playoff opener to cut the season short.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for suffering
Noun
From this perspective, the Swasthani stories teach women that through perseverance, their hardships turn into triumphs and women’s suffering turns into strength.
—Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
That no one has been eliminated yet at the halfway point of the season means the suffering onscreen has only gotten worse for them — and all the funnier for us.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Verb
Upon hearing that, Dick flashed back to his own career and his own father, Kenneth Monfort, the cattle baron who revolutionized the beef industry and died in 2001 at age 71 after suffering for years with emphysema.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
Aledo needs a shootout to oust Denton Aledo won a district title last year before suffering a heartbreaking loss in their playoff opener to cut the season short.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for suffering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffering
Noun
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There is a long history of women's pain being dismissed by doctors, incorrectly categorized as period pain or rooted in psychological distress.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The lawsuit accuses the driver, named as a defendant, of assault and battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These are the New Yorkers experiencing invisible hunger behind closed doors.—
Beth Shapiro,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
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Such districts are often formed when a school district is experiencing a burst of development or enrollment growth concentrated in certain areas, explained Erica Gonzales, a managing director at the investment bank Stifel who specializes in California school financing.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The main motivation is the seven grieving families.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Families would not be grieving.—
Jeff Amy,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Miami, which lost for the seventh time in eight games, again was slow and passive and inattentive defensively, permitting the Pacers to shoot 58 percent overall and 46 percent (18 for 39) on threes.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
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Keller was even better, permitting just three singles and no walks in six innings.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the last game, Illinois pulled to a 17-point second-half lead before letting Iowa back in the game.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
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The challenge is balancing future planning with present-day demands without letting the stress compound.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Virginia made one last push, cutting TCU’s lead to 65-55, but the Horned Frogs quickly delivered the knockout blow as Miles knocked down a 3 and Suarez hit sophomore center Clara Silva for a layup to end Virginia’s hopes of another upset.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Mar. 2026
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In the video of the altercation, which was broken into clips and cross-posted across social media platforms, Peters and the woman are hanging out when Lentz arrives, upset.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Indeed, in Iran the slaughter of protesters by the Iranian Republican guards filled me with sorrow and outrage.—
Dr. Michael Good,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
-
As the communities in Maui continue to rebuild their homes and their lives two years after the wildfires killed 102 people, the flooding added to the sorrow.—
Matt Gutman,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Before its arrival in Split, the Ford was undergoing repairs in the US Navy’s base in Crete, Greece, after a fire broke out in the ship’s laundry area on March 12.—
Moriah Thomas,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
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In the 1970s, the world of the watch was undergoing a revolution that even those who instigated it could scarcely understand.—
David Szondy
March 28,
New Atlas,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suffering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffering. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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