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Definition of suffer verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

suffer

verb
 
/ˈsʌfə(r)/
 
/ˈsʌfər/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they suffer
 
/ˈsʌfə(r)/
 
/ˈsʌfər/
he / she / it suffers
 
/ˈsʌfəz/
 
/ˈsʌfərz/
past simple suffered
 
/ˈsʌfəd/
 
/ˈsʌfərd/
past participle suffered
 
/ˈsʌfəd/
 
/ˈsʌfərd/
-ing form suffering
 
/ˈsʌfərɪŋ/
 
/ˈsʌfərɪŋ/
Idioms
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  1. [intransitive] to be badly affected by a disease, pain, sad feelings, a lack of something, etc.
    • I hate to see animals suffering.
    • The country has suffered greatly at the hands of its corrupt government.
    • suffer from something to suffer from a disorder/a disease/an illness/a condition
    • patients suffering from depression/cancer
    • Increasing numbers of children are suffering from mental health problems.
    • He suffers from asthma.
    Many people prefer to say that they have a disease or condition, rather than use the term suffer from.
    • The economy is still suffering badly from a lack of demand.
    • suffer with something to suffer with depression/a cold
    • suffer for something He made a rash decision and now he is suffering for it.
    • The lead actor had to suffer for his art by losing 10kg for the role.
    • Women continue to suffer in silence under the repressive regime.
    Extra Examples
    • Many companies are suffering from a shortage of skilled staff.
    • road accident victims suffering from shock
    • I'm sorry that you have to suffer alone like this.
    • They were just expected to suffer in silence.
    • This area suffered very badly in the storms.
    • Thousands of children in the world today suffer needlessly.
    • people suffering under repressive regimes
    • Premature babies are more likely to suffer from breathing difficulties in childhood.
    • I played tennis yesterday and I know I shall suffer for it today.
    • No child deserves to suffer for a parent's mistakes.
    Topics Health problemsb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • a lot
    • badly
    • enormously
    verb + suffer
    • be likely to
    • tend to
    • continue to
    preposition
    • for
    • from
    • under
    phrases
    • suffer in silence
    See full entry
  2. [transitive] suffer something to experience something unpleasant, such as injury, defeat or loss
    • to suffer a stroke/heart attack
    • Victims suffered severe injuries in the accident.
    • The company suffered huge losses in the last financial year.
    • Crops suffered serious damage as a result of the floods.
    • The party suffered a humiliating defeat in the general election.
    • His mother died young, and his sister suffered the same fate (= his sister also died young).
    Extra Examples
    • He suffered a massive heart attack.
    • She made mistakes as a teenager and spent her whole life suffering the consequences.
    • The tourism industry suffered a setback last year due to poor summer weather.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • a lot
    • badly
    • enormously
    verb + suffer
    • be likely to
    • tend to
    • continue to
    preposition
    • for
    • from
    • under
    phrases
    • suffer in silence
    See full entry
  3. [intransitive] to become worse
    • His school work is suffering because of family problems.
  4. Word OriginMiddle English: from Anglo-Norman French suffrir, from Latin sufferre, from sub- ‘from below’ + ferre ‘to bear’.
Idioms
not suffer fools gladly
  1. to be very impatient with people that you think are stupid
    • She was a forceful personality who didn't suffer fools gladly.
See suffer in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee suffer in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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