sufferance
noun
suf·fer·ance
ˈsə-f(ə-)rən(t)s 
1
: patient endurance
3
: consent or sanction implied by a lack of interference or failure to enforce a prohibition
Synonyms
Examples of sufferance in a Sentence
was pointedly reminded that he was at the private beach on sufferance and could be kicked out at any time
spending a whole day with my airheaded sister-in-law is beyond sufferance
Recent Examples on the Web
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
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
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sufferance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near sufferance
Cite this Entry
“Sufferance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sufferance. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sufferance
noun
suf·fer·ance
ˈsəf-(ə-)rən(t)s
1
: consent or approval implied by a lack of interference or failure to enforce a prohibition
2
: power or ability to put up with
Legal Definition
sufferance
noun
suf·fer·ance
ˈsə-frəns, -fə-rəns
: consent or sanction implied by a lack of interference or failure to enforce a prohibition see also estate at sufferance at estate sense 1, tenancy at sufferance at tenancy
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