To experience or be affected by a disease, condition, problem, or disadvantage.
Have a problem or illness that makes life harder or more painful.
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To have or experience a medical condition, illness, or physical pain.
"She has suffered from migraines since she was a teenager."
He had suffered from ill health for many years.
— Widely used journalistic formulation; common in BBC News reporting style.
To experience emotional or psychological pain, distress, or hardship.
"Many students suffer from stress and anxiety during exam season."
To be negatively affected by a flaw, weakness, or disadvantage (used of plans, systems, or abstract things).
"The new policy suffers from a lack of clear guidelines."
Extremely common and essential vocabulary for everyday and academic English. Used for medical conditions, emotional problems, and abstract disadvantages (e.g. 'the plan suffers from several weaknesses'). The object is always the condition or problem, never the person.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "suffer from" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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