at their suffering

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at their suffering" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the experiences or hardships faced by individuals or groups, often in a context of empathy or observation. Example: "The documentary highlighted the injustices faced by the community, drawing attention to the plight of those at their suffering."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Look at their suffering.

The New Yorker

It's impossible not to cry at their suffering, but whether you'll feel anything is another story.

The New York Times

The archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, and Cardinal Séan O'Malley, the archbishop of Boston, presided over the prayer service, which went to unusual lengths to involve victims and to gaze unflinchingly at their suffering.

The New York Times

How can we turn away and not look at their suffering when we are responsible for it?

Huffington Post

To make sense of my anger at their suffering, I called Rana Allam, the former editor-in-chief of Daily News Egypt.

Vice

When someone suffers, do we feed the dog of our false ego by taking pleasure at their suffering, especially if it is relation to some competitive aspect of our lives, like our career, or do we feed the dog of our true ego by taking their suffering into our own heart, and feeling it as if we were the one suffering.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

At least their suffering has ended, as Chicago's app deadline has passed.

Huffington Post

And if N.F.L. owners go ahead and lock the players out next season, more than a few long suffering fans might look at their long suffering franchises and ask, "Maybe we don't need owners at all".

The New Yorker

Because we need more people looking at their own suffering in order to better understand suffering in their communities.

HuffPost

Anticlimactic at best, it is an ending that at worst derides their suffering.

Huffington Post

The gathered men and women told sad stories about the war and laughed at their own suffering in ways that I found incomprehensible.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "at their suffering" when you want to emphasize observation or empathy toward a group's difficult experiences. It suggests a position of witnessing or acknowledging their hardship.

Common error

Avoid using "in their suffering" when you mean to convey witnessing or acknowledging the suffering. "In their suffering" implies being immersed or partaking in the suffering, which may not be the intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at their suffering" functions as a prepositional phrase modifying a verb or noun, indicating a focus or direction of attention. It specifies where someone is directing their gaze, concern, or action, as confirmed by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "at their suffering" is a prepositional phrase used to express empathy or observation of a group's pain and hardship. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct, although not very common, primarily appearing in news and media contexts. When using the phrase, ensure that you are conveying the intended sense of witnessing or acknowledging someone else's suffering, rather than implying direct involvement. Consider alternatives like "amidst their distress" or "during their hardship" to achieve similar communicative goals.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

amidst their distress

Replaces "suffering" with "distress", focusing on the emotional hardship experienced.

during their hardship

Emphasizes the period of difficulty they are facing.

in their time of woe

Uses a more formal and literary term "woe" to describe their suffering.

as they endure pain

Shifts focus to the act of enduring, highlighting resilience.

while they are in agony

Replaces "suffering" with the more intense "agony", stressing the severity of the experience.

in their pain

Uses the direct term "pain", focusing on the physical or emotional discomfort.

facing their trials

Highlights the challenging nature of their experiences as "trials".

under their burden

Emphasizes the weight and oppressiveness of their suffering.

in the face of their adversity

Focuses on their confrontation with challenging circumstances.

through their ordeals

Highlights the difficult and testing nature of their experiences as "ordeals".

FAQs

How can I use "at their suffering" in a sentence?

You can use "at their suffering" to describe observing or acknowledging a group's hardship. For example, "The report looked at their suffering and proposed solutions".

What are some alternatives to "at their suffering"?

Alternatives include "amidst their distress", "during their hardship", or "in their pain" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "in their suffering" instead of "at their suffering"?

While "in their suffering" is grammatically correct, it implies being immersed or partaking in the suffering. "At their suffering" suggests observation or acknowledgment, making the latter more appropriate when describing witnessing someone else's pain.

What does "at their suffering" emphasize in a sentence?

The phrase "at their suffering" emphasizes the act of observing or acknowledging the hardship experienced by a group or individual, highlighting a position of witness or empathy.