I share 30 idioms related to suffering, providing their meanings and examples. Understanding these idioms helps to convey emotions and expressions accurately in conversation. By learning these idioms, you can describe situations involving pain, difficulty, and perseverance.
These phrases are widely used in everyday language to express various forms of suffering. This collection includes idioms for general suffering and specific pain, making it a valuable resource for expanding your linguistic range.
List of 30 Idioms for Suffering
- Add insult to injury
- Bite the bullet
- In the doldrums
- A bitter pill to swallow
- Down and out
- Go through the wringer
- Hit rock bottom
- In hot water
- In over one’s head
- Jump through hoops
- Like pulling teeth
- Pour salt in the wound
- On the ropes
- Red tape
- At the end of one’s rope
- Through thick and thin
- A rough patch
- Grin and bear it
- The straw that broke the camel’s back
- Up a creek without a paddle
- Burn one’s bridges
- Pay the piper
- A sinking ship
- Tough row to hoe
- A hard nut to crack
- A kick in the teeth
- Nerves of steel
- Break the camel’s back
- Stick it out
- Weather the storm
Best Idioms for Suffering
Add insult to injury
Meaning: Make a bad situation worse.
Example: He was late, and to add insult to injury, he forgot the tickets.
Bite the bullet
Meaning: Endure pain bravely.
Example: She had to bite the bullet and accept the criticism.
In the doldrums
Meaning: Depressed.
Example: He’s been in the doldrums since he lost his job.
A bitter pill to swallow
Meaning: Unpleasant truth.
Example: Losing the game was a bitter pill to swallow.
Down and out
Meaning: Lacking money or resources.
Example: After the bankruptcy, he was down and out.
Go through the wringer
Meaning: Suffer greatly.
Example: After the scandal, he went through the wringer.
Hit rock bottom
Meaning: Reach the lowest point.
Example: After the divorce, he hit rock bottom.
In hot water
Meaning: In trouble.
Example: He found himself in hot water after missing the deadline.
In over one’s head
Meaning: Beyond one’s ability.
Example: She’s in over her head with this new project.
Jump through hoops
Meaning: Overcome many obstacles.
Example: To get the loan, he had to jump through hoops.
Like pulling teeth
Meaning: Very difficult.
Example: Getting him to apologize was like pulling teeth.
Pour salt in the wound
Meaning: Make suffering worse.
Example: Criticizing her work poured salt in the wound.
On the ropes
Meaning: In a weak position.
Example: The team was on the ropes after losing three games.
Red tape
Meaning: Bureaucratic obstacles.
Example: The red tape delayed the project.
At the end of one’s rope
Meaning: Out of patience.
Example: She was at the end of her rope with his behavior.
Through thick and thin
Meaning: In good and bad times.
Example: They’ve stayed together through thick and thin.
A rough patch
Meaning: Difficult period.
Example: They’re going through a rough patch in their marriage.
Grin and bear it
Meaning: Accept suffering without complaint.
Example: She had to grin and bear it when her flight was delayed.
The straw that broke the camel’s back
Meaning: Final burden that causes failure.
Example: The last-minute change was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Up a creek without a paddle
Meaning: In an unlucky situation.
Example: He was up a creek without a paddle when he lost his wallet.
Burn one’s bridges
Meaning: Destroy one’s path or relationship.
Example: He burned his bridges by quitting without notice.
Pay the piper
Meaning: Face the consequences.
Example: He had to pay the piper for his reckless spending.
A sinking ship
Meaning: A failing situation.
Example: The company was a sinking ship with no rescue in sight.
Tough row to hoe
Meaning: Difficult task.
Example: Rebuilding the house was a tough row to hoe.
A hard nut to crack
Meaning: Difficult problem.
Example: The negotiation was a hard nut to crack.
A kick in the teeth
Meaning: Severe disappointment.
Example: Losing the contract was a kick in the teeth.
Idioms for Suffering and Pain
Nerves of steel
Meaning: Great courage.
Example: You need nerves of steel to handle that job.
Break the camel’s back
Meaning: Last straw of suffering.
Example: His harsh words broke the camel’s back.
Stick it out
Meaning: Endure.
Example: He decided to stick it out despite the challenges.
Weather the storm
Meaning: Endure painful times.
Example: They managed to weather the storm of the economic crisis.
What are common idioms for suffering?
Common idioms for suffering include “add insult to injury,” “bite the bullet,” and “hit rock bottom.” These expressions vividly describe enduring pain and hardship. For example, “bite the bullet” means to endure pain bravely.
How do idioms express pain?
Idioms express pain by using metaphorical language that captures the essence of suffering. For instance, “pour salt in the wound” means making a painful situation worse. Such idioms convey intense emotions and experiences effectively.
Why learn suffering idioms?
Learning suffering idioms enhances your ability to express difficult experiences and emotions. They provide concise ways to describe pain and adversity, making your communication more impactful and relatable.
