suffer to exist

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'suffer to exist' is correct and can be used in written English. It has a strong connotation of allowing something to remain even though it is unpleasant or unwanted. It is often used in the negative sense. For example: "The corrupt government refuses to take action, content to suffer the injustice to exist."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

The Brotherhood, meanwhile, was alternately suffered to exist and then violently suppressed — a game of cat-and-mouse that was played in part to solicit American aid for the Egyptian military.

The New Yorker

The Brotherhood, meanwhile, was alternately suffered to exist and then violently suppressed a game of cat-and-mouse that was played in part to solicit American aid for the Egyptian military.

The New Yorker

But as long as we as a species continue to feel joy, to suffer, to accomplish and to fail, the humanities will exist somewhere.

Huffington Post

A contractualist approach to the nonidentity problem will focus on the legitimate expectations future persons have in respect of the agents whose acts cause them both to exist and suffer.

SEP

Instead, they ask, "What's wrong with me?" concluding that the feelings and patterns of behavior they suffer from exist because something is wrong with them not because something happened to them.

Huffington Post

The Sherwood-Pigford model for absorption accompanied by instantaneous irreversible chemical reaction is an essentially discontinuous one, where a moving front across which concentration gradients suffer a discontinuity is assumed to exist.

Chemical Engineering Science

"Bosnia is a nation that suffered through war and wants to exist through its football".

The New York Times - Sports

To exist, you have to have suffered".

Vice

Buddha teaches us, "To exist is to suffer.

Huffington Post

An elaborate set of institutions to provide formal autonomy appears to exist but in practice they suffer from erosion of real autonomy and low levels of public trust.

HuffPost

Christians continued to exist in China, but they suffered grievously.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "suffer to exist", ensure the context clearly indicates that enduring hardship is a necessary condition for survival or continuation. This often implies a situation where the alternative to suffering is non-existence.

Common error

Avoid using "suffer to exist" when the suffering is merely incidental or optional. The phrase should denote a direct causal link between enduring hardship and the ability to continue.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "suffer to exist" functions as an infinitive phrase indicating purpose. The infinitive "to exist" explains the reason for the action "suffer". According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and can be used in written English, typically connoting that enduring hardship is a necessity for continued being.

Expression frequency: Missing

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "suffer to exist" describes enduring hardship as a prerequisite for survival or continuation. Although there are no exact matches in Ludwig's examples, the linguistic analysis confirms its grammatical correctness and potential for use across various registers depending on the subject. The phrase conveys a strong sense of perseverance under challenging circumstances. Ludwig AI also shows some alternative usages of the words when used separated.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

endure in order to survive

Replaces "suffer" with "endure", focusing on the act of bearing hardship for survival.

bear in order to exist

Stresses the act of carrying burdens to achieve existence.

tolerate to continue

Emphasizes acceptance of difficulty as a means of ongoing existence.

undergo to persist

Highlights the experience of going through hardship to maintain persistence.

persevere despite hardship

Highlights the act of pushing through difficulties to maintain existence.

withstand to remain

Focuses on resisting challenges to preserve one's state of being.

brave to survive

Focuses on courageously facing adversity to secure survival.

weather the storm to live on

Uses a metaphor to describe enduring a difficult period for continued existence.

outlast to be

Emphasizes the ability to endure longer than challenges to maintain being.

grin and bear it to keep going

Highlights maintaining a positive attitude while suffering for continued progress.

FAQs

How can the phrase "suffer to exist" be used in a sentence?

The phrase "suffer to exist" can illustrate a situation where enduring hardship is a condition for survival, as in "The small business had to "suffer to exist" during the recession, cutting costs and reducing staff to stay afloat."

What are some alternatives to the phrase "suffer to exist"?

Alternatives to "suffer to exist" include phrases like "endure in order to survive", "tolerate to continue", or "persevere despite hardship", which convey a similar sense of enduring difficulty for continued existence.

Is it grammatically correct to say "suffer to exist"?

Yes, "suffer to exist" is grammatically correct. It employs an infinitive construction, indicating purpose or condition, where suffering is the means to the end of existence.

What is the difference between "suffer to exist" and "exist to suffer"?

While "suffer to exist" implies enduring hardship as a means of survival, "exist to suffer" suggests that the very purpose of existence is to experience suffering. The former is conditional, while the latter is existential.