Definition of suffernext
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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 His career was further interrupted in 1979 when he was severely injured in a car crash on the Hollywood Freeway, suffering fractures and serious facial injuries that required multiple plastic surgeries. Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026 Hopefully, all five will rejoin the Dodgers healthy but injuries suffered in the WBC have impacted the MLB season in the past. Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 11 Feb. 2026 The United States, of course, not the Cuban people, who may suffer another 66 years unless sensible commentators push back. Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026 Multiple Independence homeowners suffered structural damage, flooding or partial home collapses that week, including Manuel Ramirez and Michael Thomas, whose home was built in 1949. Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 11 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for suffer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffer
Verb
  • Boxer Imane Khelif admitted to having the SRY gene, located on the Y chromosome, which is found in biological males, and undergoing hormone treatments to lower testosterone levels ahead of the 2024 Olympics in an interview with the French sports publication L'Equipe.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
  • The driver was undergoing a medical evaluation and cooperating with investigators.
    David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • As the shellshocked families of six children and two women grieve their loss in one of the worst mass shootings in Canada's history, details are emerging about the shooter's mental health struggles and history with police.
    Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 12 Feb. 2026
  • For Le, the coffee shop serves as a community space where customers feel free to grieve and share their experiences with loss.
    Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The office had planned to redirect the $30,000 to fund other grant priorities, which is permitted under its agreement with the FMCSA, Burnham said.
    Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The Pima County Sheriff’s Office is the primary investigative agency in the search for Nancy Guthrie, with the FBI only permitted to take part if requested by local officials.
    Michael Ruiz , Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The former county clerk in Colorado was convicted of multiple crimes for letting someone access data from a secure voting system in an effort to prove unsubstantiated 2020 election conspiracies.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Law enforcement sources also described a delay in local cooperation with federal investigators in the beginning stages of the investigation, with days going by before federal investigators were let into the fold.
    Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Japan has endured inflation above the Bank of Japan's target for 45 consecutive months, declining real wages and persistent yen weakness.
    CNBC.com staff, CNBC, 8 Feb. 2026
  • In the new study, yet to be peer-reviewed and published in a journal, resilience refers to a plant’s ability to endure excess light without suffering severe damage, such as leaf lesions.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • His death was also mourned on Instagram by artists including Creed, Godsmack, Daughtry and Sevendust.
    Brian Niemietz, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
  • The Factbook's demise drew immediate concern from people who frequently rely on it for their work, as Reddit groups for teachers, librarians and travel agents mourned its passing.
    Bill Chappell, NPR, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Guzmán López's attorney said the plea deal allows his client to avoid an automatic life sentence, according to The Associated Press.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
  • This special finish allows the torch to shift colors by reflecting the environments it is carried through, whether that be Milan’s bright city lights or the peaks of the Dolomites.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Glycine is generally well-tolerated but can cause digestive side effects such as diarrhea, gas, or stomach pain.
    Jenna Anderson, Health, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Trump cannot tolerate the reality of others rejecting him.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 10 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Suffer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffer. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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