### Definition
**Suffer** — a verb (used without an object) meaning to experience or endure pain, distress, or hardship.
> *The patient is still suffering.*
It can also describe undergoing loss, disadvantage, or harm.
> *Her health suffers due to stress.*
### Extended Meanings
The word may refer to enduring something unpleasant or undesirable with patience or without resistance.
> *They suffered through the difficult winter.*
In broader contexts, *suffer* implies tolerating or being subjected to a negative experience over a period of time.
### Grammar Notes
- **Verb form:** without an object (intransitive) or with an object (transitive).
- **Common forms:** *suffers, suffered, suffering*.
### Examples
- *He suffered greatly after the accident.*
- *The company suffered financial losses last year.*
- *She does not suffer fools gladly* — meaning she shows little tolerance for incompetence.
> The term has both emotional and physical connotations, often linked to endurance or hardship.
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**Author Summary:** The word *suffer* conveys enduring pain, loss, or hardship, describing both emotional and physical experiences of distress or harm.
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Dictionary.com — 2025-11-30