suffering

suffering — noun

1. the experience of physical pain or emotional unhappiness, especially when it las

1.nounB1
Definition

the experience of physical pain or emotional unhappiness, especially when it lasts for some time or is caused by a difficult situation

Example

The doctor could see the suffering on Mira's face after the long treatment.

War brings immense suffering to ordinary people who just want to live in peace.

uncountable noun modified by an adjective describing scale

Common collocations
  • cause suffering
  • endure suffering
  • relieve suffering
  • inflict suffering on
  • human suffering
  • physical suffering
  • emotional suffering
  • needless suffering
  • a life of suffering
Synonyms
  • pain

    more specific to physical sensation; suffering is broader and covers emotional distress as well

  • distress

    focuses on mental or emotional anxiety; suffering can be primarily physical without emotional component

  • agony

    much more intense and extreme; suffering ranges from mild discomfort to severe pain

  • misery

    emphasises the unhappiness aspect; suffering can be entirely physical without sadness

Antonyms
  • comfort

    a state of physical ease and freedom from pain

  • relief

    the removal or lessening of suffering, often temporary

  • pleasure

    a feeling of enjoyment or satisfaction, the opposite of emotional distress

Usage Note

Used as an uncountable noun when referring to the general concept, or with a possessive (someone's suffering) to describe a particular person's experience. The plural form 'sufferings' is less common and refers to multiple distinct experiences of pain or hardship (e.g., 'the sufferings of war').

Common Mistakes

I have a suffering in my back.
I have a pain in my back.
'Suffering' describes a broad state of pain or distress, not a specific physical sensation in one body part.
I have a suffering from the cold weather.
I am suffering from the cold weather.
Use the verb form to describe your immediate physical state, not the noun with 'have a'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Suffering is the broadest of these terms, covering both physical pain and emotional unhappiness over time. Pain is more specific to physical sensation, though it can also be emotional (pain of rejection). Distress focuses on mental anxiety or trouble, often with a sense of urgency or worry attached. Agony is extreme, intense suffering that is hard to bear for long — it suggests a level of severity beyond ordinary discomfort. Misery emphasises the unhappiness side, a state of deep sadness or wretchedness that may not involve physical pain at all. Torment implies deliberate or ongoing infliction of pain, often with a sense of being attacked or pursued by the cause. For example: 'The suffering of refugees goes on for years.' versus 'The agony of a broken leg is sharp and short.' versus 'The misery of loneliness can affect anyone.'

pain ↗distress ↗agonymisery ↗torment ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • put an end to suffering
  • a life of suffering
  • years of suffering
  • relief from suffering

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The noun 'suffering' comes from the verb 'suffer', which entered English through Old French 'suffrir', from Latin 'sufferre' — a combination of 'sub-' (from below, up) and 'ferre' (to carry, bear). The original Latin sense was 'to carry from below, to bear up under a burden', which developed into the idea of enduring pain or hardship. The noun form appeared in Middle English around the 14th century.