Definitions
- Referring to the act of acquiring or becoming subject to something, usually negative. - Talking about the result of an action that leads to a particular consequence. - Describing the occurrence of a financial expense or obligation.
- Referring to experiencing pain, distress, or hardship. - Talking about the negative consequences of a particular event or situation. - Describing the experience of a particular condition or illness.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words have negative connotations.
- 2Both words describe experiencing something unpleasant.
- 3Both words can be used to describe the consequences of an action or situation.
What is the difference?
- 1Action vs. Experience: Incur emphasizes the action of acquiring or becoming subject to something negative, while suffer emphasizes the experience of pain, distress, or hardship.
- 2Intentionality: Incur implies that the negative consequence was a result of a deliberate action or decision, while suffer can be used to describe negative consequences that were not necessarily intentional.
- 3Scope: Incur is often used in a more limited context, such as financial expenses or legal penalties, while suffer can be used in a wider range of contexts, including physical and emotional pain.
- 4Agency: Incur implies a degree of personal responsibility for the negative consequence, while suffer may not necessarily imply personal responsibility.
- 5Usage: Incur is more commonly used in formal or technical contexts, while suffer is more commonly used in everyday language.
Remember this!
Incur and suffer are both negative verbs that describe experiencing something unpleasant. However, incur emphasizes the action of acquiring or becoming subject to something negative, while suffer emphasizes the experience of pain, distress, or hardship. Additionally, incur is often used in a more limited context, such as financial expenses or legal penalties, while suffer can be used in a wider range of contexts, including physical and emotional pain.
