Suffer vs Tolerate

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Suffer

Top 1,000 (very common) B1 verb

Tolerate

Top 2,000 (common) C1 verb

Most common: Suffer

	Suffer	Tolerate
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈsʌfə(r)/","/ˈsʌfəz/","/ˈsʌfəd/","/ˈsʌfərɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈsʌfər/","/ˈsʌfərz/","/ˈsʌfərd/","/ˈsʌfərɪŋ/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈtɒləreɪt/","/ˈtɒləreɪts/","/ˈtɒləreɪtɪd/","/ˈtɒləreɪtɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈtɑːləreɪt/","/ˈtɑːləreɪts/","/ˈtɑːləreɪtɪd/","/ˈtɑːləreɪtɪŋ/"]/
Meaning	to feel pain or distress	To accept something unpleasant without complaining.
Example	Many people suffer from anxiety and depression.	I can tolerate cold weather, but I prefer warmer climates.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	B1	C1
Part of speech	verb	verb
Collocations	a lot, badly, enormously, be likely to, tend to, continue to, for, from, under, suffer in silence, a lot, badly, enormously, be likely to, tend to, continue to, for, from, under, suffer in silence	barely, just, merely, be unable to, cannot, not be prepared to, barely, just, merely, be unable to, cannot, not be prepared to, readily, well, poorly, be unable to, cannot, will not
Antonyms	enjoy, thrive, prosper	reject, insist, oppose
Common mistakes	"Suffer with" instead of "suffer from", Using 'suffer' without a specific condition, Mixing up 'suffer' with 'sufferer' as a verb	Confused with 'endorse' — tolerate means to accept, not to support., Using intransitively (e.g., 'I tolerate' without an object)., Mixing up with 'put up with' — tolerate is more formal.
Usage notes	Used when someone is experiencing pain or hardship. Avoid in casual contexts where lighter terms are appropriate.	Used in everyday conversation and writing. It's appropriate in neutral and formal contexts, but can sound weak in informal contexts where stronger emotions are expected.

See it in real clips

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

The Dead do not suffer the living to pass.

Let them suffer, then, as she suffers.

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

The Dead do not suffer the living to pass.

Let them suffer, then, as she suffers.

Suffer

Band Of Brothers › S1 E1

...and I will not tolerate thievery in my unit.

Tolerate

Frequently asked questions: Suffer vs Tolerate

What's the difference between Suffer and Tolerate?

Suffer: to feel pain or distress Tolerate: To accept something unpleasant without complaining.

Which is more common: Suffer and Tolerate?

Suffer is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Suffer and Tolerate?

Tolerate is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.

Are Suffer and Tolerate the same CEFR level?

Suffer: B1, Tolerate: C1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Suffer and Tolerate?

Suffer: verb, Tolerate: verb.

Can you show an example of each?

Suffer: Many people suffer from anxiety and depression. Tolerate: I can tolerate cold weather, but I prefer warmer climates.

Can I use Suffer and Tolerate interchangeably?

Not always. Suffer and Tolerate are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.