SUFFER Synonyms: 155 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'suffer' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of suffer are abide , bear , endure , stand , and tolerate . While all these words mean "to put up with something trying or painful," suffer often suggests acceptance or passivity rather than courage or patience in bearing. // suffering many insults

Q: When is it sensible to use 'abide' instead of 'suffer'?

While in some cases nearly identical to suffer , abide suggests acceptance without resistance or protest. // cannot abide their rudeness

Q: When can 'bear' be used instead of 'suffer'?

In some situations, the words bear and suffer are roughly equivalent. However, bear usually implies the power to sustain without flinching or breaking. // forced to bear a tragic loss

Q: Where would 'endure' be a reasonable alternative to 'suffer'?

The words endure and suffer can be used in similar contexts, but endure implies continuing firm or resolute through trials and difficulties. // endured years of rejection

Q: When is 'stand' a more appropriate choice than 'suffer'?

The synonyms stand and suffer are sometimes interchangeable, but stand emphasizes even more strongly the ability to bear without discomposure or flinching. // unable to stand teasing

Q: When would 'tolerate' be a good substitute for 'suffer'?

The words tolerate and suffer are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, tolerate suggests overcoming or successfully controlling an impulse to resist, avoid, or resent something injurious or distasteful. // refused to tolerate such treatment

suffer

verb

ˈsə-fər

Definition of suffer

as in to undergo

to come to a knowledge of (something) by living through it willingly suffered hardships so that their children would have a better life

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in to grieve

to feel deep sadness or mental pain the husband suffered deeply at the mere suggestion that he had been unfaithful

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to permit

to give permission for or to approve of contends that the death penalty is something that no civilized society should suffer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to let

to fail to prevent (some behavior on someone's part) especially from neglect or indifference I will not suffer you to insult me so!

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb suffer differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of suffer are abide, bear, endure, stand, and tolerate. While all these words mean "to put up with something trying or painful," suffer often suggests acceptance or passivity rather than courage or patience in bearing.

suffering many insults

When is it sensible to use abide instead of suffer?

While in some cases nearly identical to suffer, abide suggests acceptance without resistance or protest.

cannot abide their rudeness

When can bear be used instead of suffer?

In some situations, the words bear and suffer are roughly equivalent. However, bear usually implies the power to sustain without flinching or breaking.

forced to bear a tragic loss

Where would endure be a reasonable alternative to suffer?

The words endure and suffer can be used in similar contexts, but endure implies continuing firm or resolute through trials and difficulties.

endured years of rejection

When is stand a more appropriate choice than suffer?

The synonyms stand and suffer are sometimes interchangeable, but stand emphasizes even more strongly the ability to bear without discomposure or flinching.

unable to stand teasing

When would tolerate be a good substitute for suffer?

The words tolerate and suffer are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, tolerate suggests overcoming or successfully controlling an impulse to resist, avoid, or resent something injurious or distasteful.

refused to tolerate such treatment

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of suffer All Saints’ Episcopal Church is pursuing a sweeping renovation for its one-block campus, including the 108-year-old Egleston Hall that recently suffered structural damage. — Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 21 Oct. 2026 And British chain Marks & Spencer suffered a 2025 hacking that reportedly cost it $397 million. — Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 21 Oct. 2026 Nugent's lawyer Chirag Patel told Magistrate Allison Vaughan that his client was suffering from potential mental health issues but had never been diagnosed with any mental health problem. — ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026 The resident, a woman in her mid-30s, according to the fire department, was suffering from smoke inhalation. — Karma Sabbah, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for suffer

Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffer

Verb

The Bearcat football community came together to support her son, Sam Soto, a third-generation Arlington High student and football player undergoing cancer treatment.

— Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026
The test will be whether the Student List can transition their popular mobilization in the streets into a viable political option that can win an election and govern a country that hasn’t undergone a political transition in over a decade.

— Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of undergo

Verb

The ordinance permits Highfill to apply excess bond proceeds to retire debt early if construction costs come in below projections, and the city holds the option to call and prepay bonds without penalty starting June 1, 2033.

— Randy Moll, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Helner admires Ben-Gvir’s push to expand civilian gun ownership, permit Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount, and introduce the death penalty for terrorists.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of permit

Verb

Longtime collaborator Erik Blood foregrounds Butler’s dry drum machines in the mix, letting every other element shuffle around them, snaking toward the spotlight for a brief moment and retreating back into the brume.

— Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
The deal lets Zuckerberg sell or transfer shares without losing his voting majority, preserving his control of Meta even if the measure passes.

— Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of let

Verb

The Ukrainian capital endured a noisy night as 21 ballistic missiles came in three waves, Zelenskyy said, smashing apartment buildings, energy facilities, a railway station and the Kyiv subway system, shopping malls and businesses.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
In the late ’70s and early ’80s, Lebanon endured an intense civil war.

— Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of endure

Verb

The series focuses on a 13-year-old named Sophie, who mourns her grandfather Thomas every day in a Milan cemetery.

— Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Riley Green, and more mourned Anderson, and honored the Country Music Hall of Fame member’s generational talent.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of mourn

Verb

Rather than requiring every country or operator to develop and maintain their own satellite network, the model would allow participants to integrate their systems with a broader infrastructure.

— Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
This allows the system to identify actions that may appear harmless individually but become dangerous in context.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of allow

Verb

Other individuals simply need help learning to tolerate the discomfort of seeing trypophobic images.

— Gabriela Galvin, Scientific American, 26 Oct. 2026
No more broken promises, rampant corruption, or tolerating an elite class living in luxury while the citizens are ignored.

— Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of tolerate

Browse Nearby Words

sues (for)

suffer

sufferable

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Style

“Suffer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffer. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of suffer

verb

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