What does "suffer" mean?

1. (to feel pain or distress) to feel physical pain or great sadness. 2. (to experience something bad) to experience something unpleasant, like a loss or a defeat. 3. (to become worse) to lose quality or become less effective because of a problem. 4. (to allow) to allow or permit something to happen.

How do you use "suffer"?

Commonly takes the preposition 'from' when referring to a disease or condition. Functions transitively when the object is a specific event like 'a loss', 'a defeat', or 'an injury'. Intransitive; the subject is usually the thing that is declining in quality.

Is it correct to say "He is suffering a headache."?

No — say "He is suffering from a headache.". When describing a medical condition or persistent pain, use 'suffer from'.

suffer

US //ˈsəfɝ// UK //sˈʌfɐ// suf·fer

1 to feel pain or distress (v.)
B1 Intermediate

to feel physical pain or great sadness.

to experience physical or mental pain, distress, or hardship. Often used with the preposition 'from' to indicate the cause.

Example

Many people suffer from seasonal allergies during the spring months.

Example

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.
- enjoy
- thrive
Pitfall

He is suffering a headache.

He is suffering from a headache.

When describing a medical condition or persistent pain, use 'suffer from'.
2 to experience something bad (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to experience something unpleasant, like a loss or a defeat.

to undergo or be subjected to something detrimental or unpleasant. Transitive in this sense, taking a direct object like 'loss' or 'defeat'.

Example

The company suffered a huge financial loss after the new product failed.

Example

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'.

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3 to become worse (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to lose quality or become less effective because of a problem.

to deteriorate in quality, condition, or effectiveness as a result of neglect or adverse circumstances.

Example

His schoolwork began to suffer because he spent too much time playing games.

Example

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.
- improve
- flourish
4 to allow (v.)
C2 Proficiency Archaic Formal Law

to allow or permit something to happen.

to tolerate, allow, or permit. This usage is restricted to formal, legal, or scriptural contexts.

Example

The old laws would not suffer such behavior in public places.

Example

The magistrate refused to suffer any further interruptions from the gallery during the witness testimony.

Teacher's tip

This sense is rare in modern speech; learners will mostly encounter it in the Bible or historical legal texts.
- forbid
- prohibit

Origin

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.

Word family

Verbsuffer
Nounsufferer
Nounsuffering
Adjectiveinsufferable

Idioms2 entries