suffer

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'suffer' is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it when talking about enduring physical or emotional pain, distress, or hardship, or the enduring of the results of an unpleasant experience. Example sentence: After suffering through a long winter, the family was overjoyed when summer finally arrived.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But Greek voters are equally certain that it's unfair for them to suffer years of slim government budgets and high unemployment in order to repay foreign banks and richer northern neighbors, which have reaped outsized benefits from closer European integration.

The New York Times

My cock was barely a ghost, but I did not suffer panic.

The Guardian - Books

Because of its entirely exclusive focus on female victims, it seems unlikely that any of these new funds will reach the thousands of men and boys who suffer from this kind of abuse.

The Guardian

The Tories lost their reputation for economic competence on Black Wednesday in 1992 and would have to suffer three election defeats before they were allowed anywhere near the steering wheel again.

The Guardian - Opinion

To grow up is to confront the disappointments of language, in a way, and to suffer the divorce between what we experience and what we imagine to be real.

The Guardian - Books

Some feminists pointed out that women suffer detriment to their careers when they change their names; that they signal their submission to their husbands, and reinforce to their children the idea that women are inferior to men.

The Guardian - Books

Health studies have found that 98% of their children have high levels of cadmium in their blood, and two-thirds suffer from lead poisoning.

The Guardian

It has been suggested that the more a black woman adopts western standards of beauty – which tend to equate being thin with being beautiful – the more likely she is to suffer from an eating disorder.

The Guardian - Opinion

However, a significant number of truly anti-EU parties are simply destructive and suffer from fundamental contradictions.

The Guardian - Opinion

Warships suffer no penalty and the boats supporting thousands of families living in poverty become ash on the water.

The Guardian - Opinion

While the navy's actions received no punishment, this strongly contrasts with the Australian government's aggressive crackdown on the boats of our Indonesian neighbours and its ongoing effects on their families, who suffer punitive circumstances.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "suffer" to convey a sense of endurance and hardship. If you wish to convey a more neutral experience, consider alternatives like "undergo" or "experience".

Common error

Avoid using "suffer" in contexts that are positive or neutral. "Suffer" implies a negative experience; therefore, using it inappropriately can create confusion or misrepresent your intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "suffer" is as a verb, indicating the experience of something negative or unpleasant. Ludwig AI examples demonstrate its usage to describe enduring pain, hardship, or loss.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "suffer" is a verb used to describe the experience of something negative, such as pain, hardship, or loss. As Ludwig AI suggests, its grammatical usage is consistently correct, appearing most frequently in news and media contexts. To use it effectively, ensure the subject and cause of suffering are clear. While it's a versatile term, avoid using "suffer" in positive contexts. Consider alternatives like "endure" or "undergo" to convey nuances in meaning. Be mindful of the implications of hardship and distress that "suffer" carries when choosing it over other verbs.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

endure

Focuses on bearing something difficult or unpleasant, often implying patience and fortitude. It changes the emphasis from experiencing pain to withstanding it.

undergo

Highlights the process of experiencing something, often a medical procedure or a significant change, without necessarily emphasizing the negative aspect.

be afflicted by

Specifically relates to being troubled by a disease or problem, which is more specific than "suffer".

bear the brunt of

Indicates receiving the main force or impact of something, often negative, like criticism or a disaster. Changes the focus to being the primary recipient of harm.

be subjected to

Implies being forced to undergo something, like scrutiny or abuse, shifting the focus to an external force causing the harm.

experience

Emphasizes the act of encountering or living through something, which may be positive or negative, reducing the focus on pain.

struggle with

Indicates facing difficulty or hardship in dealing with something, like an illness or a task, emphasizing the effort to overcome the challenge.

go through

Refers to experiencing a difficult period or situation, suggesting a temporary state of hardship.

be burdened by

Highlights the weight or load of something negative, like debt or responsibility, changing the emphasis to the oppressive nature of the experience.

live with

Focuses on the ongoing nature of enduring a condition or situation, implying acceptance and adaptation.

FAQs

How can I use "suffer" in a sentence?

You can use "suffer" to describe experiencing something negative, such as "He "suffered" a great loss" or "They "suffer" from chronic pain".

What are some alternatives to "suffer"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "endure", "undergo", or "experience".

Is it correct to say "suffer from success"?

While sometimes used humorously or ironically, ""suffer" from success" is not grammatically incorrect, but it is an unusual and often sarcastic way to describe experiencing unexpected problems as a result of success. A more common phrasing would be "deal with the challenges of success".

What's the difference between "suffer" and "struggle"?

"Suffer" implies enduring pain or hardship, while "struggle" suggests actively trying to overcome a difficulty. You "suffer" the consequences, but you struggle to achieve a goal.