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as in to undergo
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 verb suffer differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of suffer are abide, bear, endure, stand, and tolerate. While all these words mean "to put up with something trying or painful," suffer often suggests acceptance or passivity rather than courage or patience in bearing.

suffering many insults

When is it sensible to use abide instead of suffer?

While in some cases nearly identical to suffer, abide suggests acceptance without resistance or protest.

cannot abide their rudeness

When can bear be used instead of suffer?

In some situations, the words bear and suffer are roughly equivalent. However, bear usually implies the power to sustain without flinching or breaking.

forced to bear a tragic loss

Where would endure be a reasonable alternative to suffer?

The words endure and suffer can be used in similar contexts, but endure implies continuing firm or resolute through trials and difficulties.

endured years of rejection

When is stand a more appropriate choice than suffer?

The synonyms stand and suffer are sometimes interchangeable, but stand emphasizes even more strongly the ability to bear without discomposure or flinching.

unable to stand teasing

When would tolerate be a good substitute for suffer?

The words tolerate and suffer are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, tolerate suggests overcoming or successfully controlling an impulse to resist, avoid, or resent something injurious or distasteful.

refused to tolerate such treatment

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 suffer Goedert’s absence leaves Philadelphia undermanned at tight end, although the Eagles have become used to missing Goedert — and the offense hasn’t necessarily suffered even though the team believes Goedert is one of the NFL’s top tight ends. Zach Berman, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025 Brian De Palma's lurid, almost feverish depiction of the bullying and abuse that Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) suffers at school and at home manages to feel empathetic rather than exploitative. James Grebey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025 Involving the police also breaks trust between them and people suffering from mental health struggles, Weaver said. Charlotte Observer, 12 Sep. 2025 Another course on banishing your inner critic has compelling ideas, but suffers from being overproduced. Jill Duffy, PC Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for suffer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffer
Verb
  • The Princess of Wales announced her remission in January 2025, while Charles is still undergoing treatment.
    Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Since marrying Horace at the end of Episode 1, Kimmie has conducted extensive research on Beauty in Black and has been under the mentorship of her husband, who is still alive and currently in Italy, undergoing experimental cancer treatment.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Cam, who grieves his father throughout the film, allowed Withers to show that even the toughest men in the world have their contemplative moments.
    Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The platform formerly known as X and its owner Elon Musk have called for the firing of anyone deemed insufficiently grieving of Kirk.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Halloween-style may not to be worn upon entry and in concourses but will be permitted when guests are in seats.
    Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Notably, military officials overseeing the Washington deployment declared early on that while Title 32 permits troops to make arrests, they are not authorized to do so in this case.
    Alex Horton, Arkansas Online, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Tomorrow, 2025’s summer season will be officially over—so let’s make the most of it with some amazing music and new albums from the industry’s brightest stars and some talented up-and-coming acts.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 19 Sep. 2025
  • But the Gallaghers were hellbent on not letting that happen.
    Jesse Adams, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • United recently endured its worst ever finish to a Premier League season and already in this campaign, Ruben Amorim’s men have suffered a humiliating League Cup defeat to fourth-division Grimsby Town despite the acquisition of expensive new forwards Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Šeško.
    Patrick Snell, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
  • What lies beneath the surface is hardly a starting point for grasping the breadth and enduring impact of each work.
    Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Many lawmakers, conservative and liberal alike, mourned him and the incident of political violence.
    Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Tahlequah previously made global headlines in 2018 for carrying a dead calf for over 1,000 miles across 17 days, demonstrating what researchers believe is mourning behavior among orcas.
    Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • While commercial pilots are allowed to use iPads and electronic tablets in the cockpit to access navigation charts and checklists, the tone of the exchange sparked questions about situational awareness in a restricted airspace.
    Heather Hunter, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses come with the Meta Neural Band, an EMG wristband that allows users to control the device using hand gestures.
    Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Regardless, these comments are blatantly insensitive as political violence should never be tolerated or exploited as comedic entertainment, no matter who perpetrated it.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The animal species that persist are those with the capacity to cling tightly to rocks and tolerate extreme heat.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Suffer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffer. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

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