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
She's seen that the wasteland is a very difficult place, full of suffering. Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Jan. 2026 His friends, family, paramedics and the police performatively profit off of his suffering as his life fades away. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 Jan. 2026
Verb
In addition, the association said teens who use social media most frequently report suffering from poor mental health at higher rates, including a greater tendency to think about suicide or self-harm. Linh Tat, Daily News, 13 Jan. 2026 The Blazers, though, will look a little different Tuesday with Avdija suffering a back injury Sunday that will sideline him. Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for suffering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffering
Noun
  • The West African nation was last year among 23 sub-Saharan African countries at risk of debt distress, according to the World Bank, and rising debt service costs have long stymied government spending in vital areas such as education, health, and infrastructure.
    Preeti Jha, semafor.com, 14 Jan. 2026
  • The complaint claims that ChatGPT romanticized death and reassured Gordon during moments of emotional distress.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 14 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Weak shaking has been recorded and several residents reported experiencing the tremor in Ridgecrest and the surrounding area according to the USGS DYFI report.
    CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Additionally, people with IBS and IBD are more sensitive to changes in fiber in their diet and may already be experiencing constipation and/or diarrhea, which are common side effects of juice cleanses.
    Jillian Kubala, Health, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The creative documentary filmmaker, a former Berkeley resident, culls together photos, home movies, songs and more to relate writer Andri Snær Magnason’s grieving process over the loss of relatives and a once-majestic glacier that is no more due to climate change.
    Randy Myers, Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2026
  • In The Rip, Damon’s character, who is loosely based on Casiano, is grieving the loss of his 10-year-old son, Jake, to cancer.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • In theory, that would allow Glenn to lean on him for advice while also permitting him to focus his efforts elsewhere, like on offense and special teams.
    Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Even with sufficient investor support, the project would still have to go through an extensive regulatory and permitting process that would undoubtedly receive pushback from environmental groups.
    Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The latter is mostly what the Biden administration did, letting in violent criminals who committed new crimes, including the murder of American citizens.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Minimal in both its copy and marketing, OAMC and Salomon appear confident in letting the product do the heavy lifting for this collaboration.
    Riley Jones, Footwear News, 13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • The Tigers, previously 0-9 all-time at Rupp Arena, took advantage of a struggling Kentucky Wildcats squad for a 73-68 upset win.
    Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2026
  • The automaker spent much of the year undoing decisions made by the previous CEO, Carlos Tavares, who resigned at the end of 2024, as stakeholders in the company — from dealers to union rank and file — were upset with him and unhappy with his leadership.
    Liam Rappleye, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Death, fear, and sorrow unify the disparate practices.
    Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
  • But grief will give you so much more than sorrow.
    Lauren DePino, CNN Money, 4 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • To demonstrate the system’s capabilities, the research team, led by Huang Jiangtao of the China Aerodynamics Research and Development Centre, applied PADJ-X to conceptual configurations resembling the US Air Force’s B-21 stealth bomber, which is currently undergoing flight testing.
    Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 7 Jan. 2026
  • The throne eventually made its way to Axl Rose, who used it on tour with Guns N’ Roses, and later Old Dominion frontman Matthew Ramsey, who used it in 2019 after undergoing surgery on his leg.
    Rachel DeSantis, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Suffering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffering. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.

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