suffering 1 of 3

Definition of sufferingnext

suffering

2 of 3

noun

suffering

3 of 3

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

2
3
4

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
What changed in that moment was not the description of the patients’ suffering, but the possibility of a biological explanation linking subjective symptoms with an objective, see-for-yourself finding. Jason Liebowitz, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026 Minutes later, Small said, three additional people arrived at Penn Presbyterian suffering from gunshot wounds. Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 12 May 2026
Verb
Another shooting victim was suffering from gunshot wounds in another apartment. Adam Thompson, CBS News, 14 May 2026 Anonymous online posters frequently bring up data suggesting that liberal women are most likely to report suffering from anxiety. Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for suffering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffering
Noun
  • Interfering with a fawn is discouraged; observe from a distance and contact wildlife professionals only if the fawn shows signs of injury, distress, or the mother's prolonged absence.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 13 May 2026
  • There is tap-dancing, a wall that resembles the night sky, a prop headband that resembles a Plumbob, and the discovery that every actor onstage can imitate the animation a Sim does while in distress.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 13 May 2026
Verb
  • With several senior players experiencing prolonged dips in form, Mason Greenwood has again been Marseille’s most effective performer, scoring 26 goals in 44 matches across all competitions and being named in the Ligue 1 team of the season.
    Tom Williams, New York Times, 17 May 2026
  • The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimates that about 30 percent of people experiencing chronic homelessness live with a serious mental illness, and nearly half have a co-occurring substance use disorder.
    Shianne LeClaire, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • And what to make of Natalia (Milena Smit), the grieving young mother who sometimes appears in the margins of Elsa’s story?
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 19 May 2026
  • He is survived by David, his grieving white partner.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
Verb
  • Pratt slammed the city’s permitting problems.
    Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
  • Hernandez will continue competing under CIF rules permitting transgender participation and is scheduled to compete Saturday, May 16, before advancing to the CIF finals in Clovis later this month.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • In many scenes where a conventional filmmaker would have layered in the sound of footsteps or ambient movement, Abraham chose silence, letting the visual image generate its own interior noise in the viewer’s mind.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 May 2026
  • Going for a slightly longer take on a bob that hits below the chin (and perhaps even grazes toward your shoulders) allows all the polish and charm of a bob, while letting natural texture give a breezy, airy look that requires minimal work.
    Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 15 May 2026
Adjective
  • If the Cavaliers pull the Game 7 upset, Game 1 will play out at Madison Square Garden.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 16 May 2026
  • Away to a Newcastle team that has won just one of their last six league matches and has little to play for at this stage of a disappointing season, there could be an opportunity for West Ham to cause an upset.
    Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • Yet this book is written more in sorrow than in anger.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
  • Late in the picture, a display of kindness from the elderly Catalan woman Lucila looks after introduces an unexpected reciprocity of care — even with those unfamiliar with her sorrows and the intricacies of her cultural background.
    Carlos Aguilar, IndieWire, 13 May 2026
Verb
  • Local students have organized service projects including book collections and craft activities for children undergoing treatment.
    Susan Soldavin, Baltimore Sun, 16 May 2026
  • The legal technology industry is undergoing a period of rapid transformation, driven by advances in artificial intelligence and increasing demand for more efficient, accessible, and cost-effective legal services.
    AllBusiness, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Suffering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffering. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on suffering

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster