1
as in permission
the approval by someone in authority for the doing of something
was pointedly reminded that he was at the private beach on sufferance and could be kicked out at any time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in patience
the capacity to endure what is difficult or disagreeable without complaining
spending a whole day with my airheaded sister-in-law is beyond sufferance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sufferance
Every page is alive with animus, ardor, humor, sufferance, with venom for death and its posturing acolytes:
Anyone who has not killed is not a man: This sentence, which Hemingway fashioned, means nothing at all.
—
Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024
Matchday was a sufferance, the opposite of life-affirming.
—George Caulkin, The Athletic, 10 July 2024
Through his cult of personality, Modi is fulfilling a century-old project, recasting India as a Hindu nation, in which minorities, particularly Muslims, live at the sufferance of the majority.
—Samanth Subramanian Vikas Adam Tanya Pérez Zachary Mouton, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
The Kirk Douglas, the smallest of the company’s three venues and ostensibly the most experimental, is the scrappy Culver City orphan, living at the sufferance of its older siblings at L.A.’s Music Center.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2023
Air India’s nationalization signaled that in independent India private enterprise would survive on the government’s sufferance.
—Sadanand Dhume, WSJ, 14 Oct. 2021
In the music of Beethoven, there is such an ethical, moral integrity … and power and sufferance.
—Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, 10 Sep. 2019
Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.
—Thomas Jefferson Et Al, Cincinnati.com, 4 July 2018
Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024
Matchday was a sufferance, the opposite of life-affirming.
—George Caulkin, The Athletic, 10 July 2024
Through his cult of personality, Modi is fulfilling a century-old project, recasting India as a Hindu nation, in which minorities, particularly Muslims, live at the sufferance of the majority.
—Samanth Subramanian Vikas Adam Tanya Pérez Zachary Mouton, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
The Kirk Douglas, the smallest of the company’s three venues and ostensibly the most experimental, is the scrappy Culver City orphan, living at the sufferance of its older siblings at L.A.’s Music Center.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2023
Air India’s nationalization signaled that in independent India private enterprise would survive on the government’s sufferance.
—Sadanand Dhume, WSJ, 14 Oct. 2021
In the music of Beethoven, there is such an ethical, moral integrity … and power and sufferance.
—Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, 10 Sep. 2019
Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.
—Thomas Jefferson Et Al, Cincinnati.com, 4 July 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sufferance
Noun
-
Defensive end Trey Hendrickson, meanwhile, is the team’s only great pass rusher on an already-iffy defense, and he’s actually been given permission to find a trade partner as he won’t be kept around long term.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC News,
13 Mar. 2025
-
Two days after the crash, the owner of the Nissan Altima — Rodger’s aunt — told police that Rodgers had taken the car without permission and was driving it at the time of the crash.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The patience granted the budding romance paves the path for a very clean ascendance into amusing chaos.—
Gregory Nussen,
Deadline,
8 Mar. 2025
-
If nothing else, patience is recommended over chasing at these levels.—
Frank Cappelleri,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
While human subjects need to provide consent to be studied, most species do not.—
Bradley Wade Bishop,
The Conversation,
17 Mar. 2025
-
Saravia-Sanchez served 242 days in jail for taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, after a May 2023 felony conviction in L.A. Superior Court, according to the federal complaint.—
Brittny Mejia,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
But their tolerance is not infinite, analysts tell CNN.—
Anna Cooban,
CNN,
17 Mar. 2025
-
Weigh the pros and cons and decide what your tolerance is.—
Halee Miller Van Ryswyk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
All the mayors, Johnson included, were effective in arguing that their cities’ law enforcement officers cooperate routinely with the feds in enforcing criminal warrants for people in the country without authorization.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Mar. 2025
-
A couple was arrested after allegedly attempting to board an American Airlines flight without authorization, leading to a physical altercation in which one individual allegedly threw coffee on an airline staff member, police said.—
Ayesha Ali,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sufferance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sufferance. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share