Synonyms for suffering
ˈsʌf ər ɪŋ, ˈsʌf rɪŋsuf·fer·ing

WiktionaryRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. sufferingadjective

   Synonyms:
   pain, in

2. sufferingadjective

   Experiencing pain.

   Synonyms:
   in, pain

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 2 votes

1. suffering

   Pain is the most general term of this group, including all the others; pain is a disturbing sensation from which nature revolts, resulting from some injurious external interference (as from a wound, a bruise, a harsh word, etc.), or from some lack of what one needs, craves, or cherishes (as, the pain of hunger or bereavement), or from some abnormal action of bodily or mental functions (as, the pains of disease, envy, or discontent). Suffering is one of the severer forms of pain. The prick of a needle causes pain, but we should scarcely speak of it as suffering. Distress is too strong a word for little hurts, too feeble for the intensest suffering, but commonly applied to some continuous or prolonged trouble or need; as, the distress of a shipwrecked crew, or of a destitute family. Ache is lingering pain, more or less severe; pang, a pain short, sharp, intense, and perhaps repeated. We speak of the pangs of hunger or of remorse. Throe is a violent and thrilling pain. Paroxysm applies to an alternately recurring and receding pain, which comes as it were in waves; the paroxysm is the rising of the wave. Torment and torture are intense and terrible sufferings. Agony and anguish express the utmost pain or suffering of body or mind. Agony of body is that with which the system struggles; anguish that by which it is crushed.

   Synonyms:
   ache, agony, anguish, distress, pain, pang, paroxysm, throe, torment, torture, twinge, wo(e)

   Antonyms:
   comfort, delight, ease, enjoyment, peace, rapture, relief, solace

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. agony, suffering, excruciationnoun

   a state of acute pain

   Synonyms:
   hurt, distress, woe, excruciation, torture, crucifixion, agony, torment

   Antonyms:
   happy, untroubled

2. suffering, woenoun

   misery resulting from affliction

   Synonyms:
   agony, woe, distress, hurt, woefulness, excruciation

   Antonyms:
   happy, untroubled

3. distress, hurt, sufferingnoun

   psychological suffering

   "the death of his wife caused him great distress"

   Synonyms:
   hurt, injury, distress, detriment, harm, excruciation, damage, distraint, trauma, agony, scathe, woe

   Antonyms:
   untroubled, happy

4. suffering, hurtadjective

   feelings of mental or physical pain

   Synonyms:
   hurt, injury, distress, detriment, harm, excruciation, damage, agony, trauma, woe, scathe

   Antonyms:
   untroubled, happy

5. sufferingadjective

   troubled by pain or loss

   "suffering refugees"

   Synonyms:
   wretched, miserable

   Antonyms:
   untroubled, happy

6. miserable, suffering, wretchedadjective

   very unhappy; full of misery

   "he felt depressed and miserable"; "a message of hope for suffering humanity"; "wretched prisoners huddled in stinking cages"

   Synonyms:
   low-down, pitiable, pathetic, piteous, abject, vile, misfortunate, poor, pitiful, hapless, slimy, miserable, unworthy, deplorable, scurvy, scummy, worthless, ugly, woeful, measly, wretched, paltry, execrable, despicable, low

   Antonyms:
   untroubled, happy

Matched Categories

1. • Pain

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. sufferingnoun

   Synonyms:
   endurance, pain, distress, misery, sufferance, passion

2. sufferingnoun

   Synonyms:
   poverty, want

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. sufferingnoun

   Synonyms:
   distress, agony, misery, pain, discomfort, torture, sufferance

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "suffering":

   sufferings, pain, misery, plight, distress, hardship, agony, suffer, anguish, experiencing, grief, hardships

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How to use suffering in a sentence?

1. Michelle Bachelet:

   Small island nations are among those suffering the most catastrophic effects of climate change, although they contribute very little to fuelling the problem, just this past week, yet another devastating hurricane hit the Bahamas, taking a terrible toll in human life and destroying precious development gains.

2. Dr. Jose P. Rizal:

   People don't realize that victory is the child of struggle, that joy blossoms from suffering, and redemption is a product of sacrifice.

3. Terry Strada:

   On September 11, after nearly three hours of unprecedented terror by 19 Saudi-funded terrorists, Bedminster and surrounding towns came together in extraordinary ways, 750 innocent people from New Jersey were brutally murdered, leaving over 1,000 children in our towns without a parent, including my three. Friends, neighbors and strangers embraced our suffering and helped us move through our devastation and pain.

4. Shane Williamson:

   This tragedy in Europe seems to have awakened many people to the reality of evil, they see that human wickedness can be brutal and causes so much human suffering.

5. Nick Merrill:

   Of course she opposes the U.S. getting into a ground war in the Middle East, and she strongly supports ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, address the suffering, and bring all of Syria's communities together to confront ISIS.