subire
suffer · to endure
Accettare o affrontare qualcosa di spiacevole o difficile senza poterlo evitare.
Definition & meaning
Subire means to undergo, experience, or suffer something, usually unpleasant, without being able to prevent it. Depending on the context, it can also mean to be subjected to something.
- Ha subito un’operazione. — “She underwent an operation.”
- Ha subito un’ingiustizia. — “He suffered an injustice.”
- La squadra ha subito tre gol. — “The team conceded three goals.”
Grammar & Word origin
Subire is a regular third-conjugation verb, though its present tense uses the -isc- pattern: subisco, subisci, subisce, subiamo, subite, subiscono. Its past participle is subito.
It comes from Latin subire, meaning “to go under” or “undergo,” formed from sub- (“under”) and ire (“to go”).
Synonyms & antonyms
- sopportare — “to endure” or “put up with”; it emphasizes tolerance rather than simply experiencing something.
- patire — “to suffer”; it emphasizes the pain or hardship involved.
- affrontare — “to face” or “tackle”; unlike subire, it suggests an active response.
- infliggere — “to inflict”; the opposite perspective: causing harm rather than receiving it.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Se subissi un danno, chiederei aiuto.verb
If I suffered damage, I would ask for help.
Non dobbiamo subire decisioni ingiuste.verb
We must not endure unfair decisions.
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