SUFFERING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does suffering mean? 

• SUFFERING (noun)
  The noun SUFFERING has 4 senses:

1. a state of acute pain

2. misery resulting from affliction

3. psychological suffering

4. feelings of mental or physical pain

  Familiarity information: SUFFERING used as a noun is uncommon.

• SUFFERING (adjective)
  The adjective SUFFERING has 2 senses:

1. troubled by pain or loss

2. very unhappy; full of misery

  Familiarity information: SUFFERING used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SUFFERING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A state of acute pain

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

agony; excruciation; suffering

Hypernyms ("suffering" is a kind of...):

hurting; pain (a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "suffering"):

throe (severe spasm of pain)

Passion; Passion of Christ (the suffering of Jesus at the Crucifixion)

Derivation:

suffer (feel pain or be in pain)

suffer (feel physical pain)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Misery resulting from affliction

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

suffering; woe

Hypernyms ("suffering" is a kind of...):

miserableness; misery; wretchedness (a state of ill-being due to affliction or misfortune)

Derivation:

suffer (experience (emotional) pain)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Psychological suffering

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Synonyms:

distress; hurt; suffering

Context example:

the death of his wife caused him great distress

Hypernyms ("suffering" is a kind of...):

pain; painfulness (emotional distress; a fundamental feeling that people try to avoid)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "suffering"):

anguish; torment; torture (extreme mental distress)

self-torment; self-torture (self-imposed distress)

tsoris ((Yiddish) trouble and suffering)

wound (a figurative injury (to your feelings or pride))

Derivation:

suffer (experience (emotional) pain)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Feelings of mental or physical pain

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Synonyms:

hurt; suffering

Hypernyms ("suffering" is a kind of...):

pain; painfulness (emotional distress; a fundamental feeling that people try to avoid)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "suffering"):

agony; torment; torture (intense feelings of suffering; acute mental or physical pain)

throes (violent pangs of suffering)

discomfort; irritation; soreness (an uncomfortable feeling of mental painfulness or distress)

Derivation:

suffer (feel pain or be in pain)

suffer (feel physical pain)

• SUFFERING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Troubled by pain or loss

Context example:

suffering refugees

Similar:

troubled (characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Very unhappy; full of misery

Synonyms:

miserable; suffering; wretched

Context example:

wretched prisoners huddled in stinking cages

Similar:

unhappy (experiencing or marked by or causing sadness or sorrow or discontent)

 Context examples 

I feared my brain was disturbed by my sufferings and misfortunes.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

In fact, you are both suffering from the disease you think you find in me.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

By one of the suffering party within they were expected with such impatience as she had never known before.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

"That boy is suffering for society and fun," she said to herself.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

The wants and sufferings of the poor family, however, were the first subject on meeting.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

I saw that my own feelings had prepared my sufferings, and that my want of fortitude under them had almost led me to the grave.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

“This could be a major step toward helping millions around the world who are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias,” says Dubal.

(Longevity gene linked to better brain skills, NIH, US)

Your brother is certainly very much to be pitied at present; but we must not, in our concern for his sufferings, undervalue yours.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

She has been suffering since yesterday from brain symptoms of great severity.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It is all done; poor dear, dear Jonathan, what he must have suffered, what must he be suffering now.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)