# suffering

/ˈsəfɝɪŋ/ (US) · /sˈʌfəɹɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/suffering
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 2. experiencing pain

adjective · CEFR B2

feeling pain or going through a difficult time.

For teachers: experiencing physical or mental distress; often used in a predicative position or to describe a specific group.

- The doctor visited the suffering patients in the emergency room.
- The government provided immediate financial aid to the suffering farmers whose crops were destroyed by the unseasonal frost.

## Examples

- The new medicine helped to reduce his suffering.
- Charity organizations work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of families displaced by the recent natural disaster.
- Philosophers have long debated whether human suffering is an inevitable byproduct of consciousness or a condition that can be transcended through disciplined mental practice.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.