Word
suffer
Phoneticssuf·fer, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsəfɝ/
UK/sˈʌfɐ/
Definitions
01to feel pain or distress
B1 · Intermediate
v. to feel physical pain or great sadness.
v. to experience physical or mental pain, distress, or hardship. Often used with the preposition 'from' to indicate the cause.
“Many people suffer from seasonal allergies during the spring months.”
“The patient continued to suffer from chronic back pain despite undergoing several rounds of physical therapy and medication.”
Usage
Commonly takes the preposition 'from' when referring to a disease or condition.
Pitfall
He is suffering a headache.
He is suffering from a headache.
When describing a medical condition or persistent pain, use 'suffer from'.
02to experience something bad
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to experience something unpleasant, like a loss or a defeat.
v. to undergo or be subjected to something detrimental or unpleasant. Transitive in this sense, taking a direct object like 'loss' or 'defeat'.
“The company suffered a huge financial loss after the new product failed.”
“The battalion suffered heavy casualties during the initial assault, forcing the commander to order a tactical withdrawal.”
Usage
Functions transitively when the object is a specific event like 'a loss', 'a defeat', or 'an injury'.
Synonyms
03to become worse
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to lose quality or become less effective because of a problem.
v. to deteriorate in quality, condition, or effectiveness as a result of neglect or adverse circumstances.
“His schoolwork began to suffer because he spent too much time playing games.”
“The quality of the restaurant's service has suffered since the original manager retired last year.”
Usage
Intransitive; the subject is usually the thing that is declining in quality.
Synonyms
04to allow
C2 · Proficiency Law Archaic · Formal
v. to allow or permit something to happen.
v. to tolerate, allow, or permit. This usage is restricted to formal, legal, or scriptural contexts.
“The old laws would not suffer such behavior in public places.”
“The magistrate refused to suffer any further interruptions from the gallery during the witness testimony.”
Teaching tip
This sense is rare in modern speech; learners will mostly encounter it in the Bible or historical legal texts.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “suffer” in context.
Verb
01. suffer consequence
“If you do not follow the safety rules, you will have to suffer the consequences.”
verb + noun
Noun
02. individual suffer
“The report describes how many individuals suffer from a lack of clean water.”
noun + verb
Etymology
From Middle English suffren, from Anglo-Norman suffrir, from Latin sufferre (“to offer, hold up, bear, suffer”), from sub- (“up, under”) + ferō (“I carry”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to bear, carry”). Displaced native Old English þrōwian.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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