verb

suffer

SUH-fuh

verb

To experience pain, hardship, or distress.

"Many soldiers suffered terribly during the harsh winter."

"She suffered from severe migraines for years."

To undergo something unpleasant, such as damage, loss, or a decline in quality.

"The company's reputation suffered after the scandal."

How to Use Suffer

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo go through pain or something bad, or to get worse because of it.

Common pairings

suffer from suffer a loss suffer in silence

Word Forms

suffered past tense, suffer plural, suffered plural, suffers singular, suffer singular, suffered singular, sufferest singular, sufferedst singular, suffereth singular

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Many soldiers _____ terribly during the harsh winter.

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman suffrir, from Latin sufferre, "to bear, endure," from sub- ("under") plus ferre ("to carry").

Synonyms

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ache agonize anguish hurt pain thole passion throe wark wring

Antonyms

be pleased luxuriate relax

Related Words

work ache wring pain hurt building want help

Rhymes for suffer

duffer buffer puffer

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