the majority suffer vs the majority suffers

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'The majority suffer' is used when referring to a plural group of people experiencing something, while 'the majority suffers' is used when referring to a singular entity representing the majority. The choice between 'suffer' and 'suffers' depends on whether you are treating the majority as a collective plural or a singular unit.

Last updated: March 29, 2024 • 1756 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used when referring to a plural group of people experiencing something.

"the majority suffer"

This phrase is used when talking about a group of people who are the majority and are collectively experiencing something. 'Suffer' is used to indicate that the majority as a whole is affected.

Examples:

The majority suffer from poverty in that region.
The majority suffer from lack of access to healthcare.
The majority suffer from discrimination in society.

Show examples from the web [+]

Sadly the great majority will suffer losses, including Poland - until recently the EU's third largest food producer, which in the past could have fed its population twice over.
THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THEM SUFFER FROM DIAGNOSED MENTAL DISORDERS. Reid: AND THEY'RE USUALLY MALES,
Women who have suffered violence - and a majority suffer in silence - and their children need to have the confidence to report attacks, secure in the knowledge that they will be provided with effective support.
The majority will just continue to suffer.
Over 500 million people in the world suffer from a disability, and the majority of them live in developing countries.
It is estimated that 7.3 million Europeans suffer from different forms of dementia, the majority of cases being Alzheimer's disease.
They have to suffer the consequences of what is decided by the majority in this Chamber.
Furthermore, in Europe the majority of these workers belong to communities which, as in the case of immigrants, suffer from repeated discrimination.
Animal testing of cosmetics is a moral issue upon which the majority of EU citizens have expressed the opinion that animals should not suffer in order to develop new 'vanity' products.
Women are in the majority in this section of the population, and are therefore most likely to suffer from such conditions.
Immigration to Europe helps only a minority and often a quite random minority, while the majority of people in the immigrants' home countries continues to suffer under existing conditions.
Given the fact that the majority of EU Member States still have abundant amounts of food, it would really be inhumane if our citizens had to suffer, or even die, because of hunger.
We all perfectly understand that the majority of airports work under natural monopoly conditions and they inevitably get into interest conflicts and the users, i.e., the airlines, may suffer for this.
This would give hope to the world's poor, who will suffer most from climate change and the majority of whom are women.
In the majority of cases, these women suffer a series of humiliations, beginning with the promise of work in a European Union Member State.
Yet we do believe that whatever the majority that emerges from Members' votes, the employees of the European Parliament, officials and others, must not be made to suffer in any way from this decision, and in particular must not have their salaries reduced.
This fishing zone's coastal trawling fleet of 93 vessels, the majority of which come from Galicia, will suffer the serious socio-economic impact of this unfounded cut which will lead to the early closure of fisheries.
Consultants from North Tyrol suffer clear discrimination in South Tyrol, even though they have studied at the same university as the majority of their colleagues from South Tyrol, i.e. the University of Innsbruck (North Tyrol).
The majority of the population are traditional subsistence societies.
My conscience stands with the majority.

Alternatives:

Most of them suffer
The majority of people suffer
The majority are suffering
The majority experience suffering
The majority face hardships

This phrase is correct and commonly used when referring to a singular entity representing the majority.

"the majority suffers"

This phrase is used when treating the majority as a singular unit or entity. 'Suffers' is used to indicate that the majority, as a whole, is experiencing something.

Examples:

The majority suffers from a lack of representation.
The majority suffers from a lack of resources.
The majority suffers from neglect.

Show examples from the web [+]

Sadly the great majority will suffer losses, including Poland - until recently the EU's third largest food producer, which in the past could have fed its population twice over.
THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THEM SUFFER FROM DIAGNOSED MENTAL DISORDERS. Reid: AND THEY'RE USUALLY MALES,
Women who have suffered violence - and a majority suffer in silence - and their children need to have the confidence to report attacks, secure in the knowledge that they will be provided with effective support.
The majority will just continue to suffer.
Over 500 million people in the world suffer from a disability, and the majority of them live in developing countries.
It is estimated that 7.3 million Europeans suffer from different forms of dementia, the majority of cases being Alzheimer's disease.
They have to suffer the consequences of what is decided by the majority in this Chamber.
Furthermore, in Europe the majority of these workers belong to communities which, as in the case of immigrants, suffer from repeated discrimination.
Animal testing of cosmetics is a moral issue upon which the majority of EU citizens have expressed the opinion that animals should not suffer in order to develop new 'vanity' products.
Women are in the majority in this section of the population, and are therefore most likely to suffer from such conditions.
Immigration to Europe helps only a minority and often a quite random minority, while the majority of people in the immigrants' home countries continues to suffer under existing conditions.
Given the fact that the majority of EU Member States still have abundant amounts of food, it would really be inhumane if our citizens had to suffer, or even die, because of hunger.
We all perfectly understand that the majority of airports work under natural monopoly conditions and they inevitably get into interest conflicts and the users, i.e., the airlines, may suffer for this.
This would give hope to the world's poor, who will suffer most from climate change and the majority of whom are women.
In the majority of cases, these women suffer a series of humiliations, beginning with the promise of work in a European Union Member State.
Yet we do believe that whatever the majority that emerges from Members' votes, the employees of the European Parliament, officials and others, must not be made to suffer in any way from this decision, and in particular must not have their salaries reduced.
This fishing zone's coastal trawling fleet of 93 vessels, the majority of which come from Galicia, will suffer the serious socio-economic impact of this unfounded cut which will lead to the early closure of fisheries.
Consultants from North Tyrol suffer clear discrimination in South Tyrol, even though they have studied at the same university as the majority of their colleagues from South Tyrol, i.e. the University of Innsbruck (North Tyrol).
The majority of the population are traditional subsistence societies.
My conscience stands with the majority.

Alternatives:

The majority is suffering
The majority is experiencing suffering
The majority is facing hardships
The majority is affected
The majority is enduring

How TextRanch works

Fast and reliable proofreading, editing, and language advice tailored to your needs.

1. Choose Your Service

Quick Text Editing

Emails and short texts
Proofreading & editing
Ready in 5-10 minutes

SUBMIT YOUR TEXT NOW

Document Editing

Documents of any type (*.docx)
Advanced & Premium editing
Ready in as little as 4 hours

UPLOAD YOUR DOCUMENT

Ask an Editor

Personalized answers to your language questions
Expert guidance on grammar, style, and usage
Ready in 24 hours

ASK YOUR QUESTION

Upload your document or paste your text directly into our platform. Your text is reviewed and refined by our expert editors (real people, not machines) who understand the nuances of English. Expect corrections, improvements, and insightful suggestions that enhance the clarity, tone, and professionalism of your writing.

3. Receive Your Polished Text

In just a few minutes (or hours for longer documents), you'll receive your corrected text. Review the changes, make any final adjustments, and confidently share your polished English with the world.
You can count on a personalized, friendly service every time you use TextRanch. We're committed to helping you make a great impression with every word you write.

We proofread and edit these types of texts and documents:

Short texts Business Emails Personal Emails Social media posts Resume and Curriculum Vitae Business documents Sales proposal Research and academic papers Thesis Dissertation Essays Articles Blog posts and much more....

Our Customers Love Us!

We have an average rating of 4.79 stars based on 283125 votes, and

4.9 Excellent - Reviews 2.137

"7 years without any disappointment. Always 100% satisfied. You guys are the best in the world at what you do. Thank you so much :)"

Zubair
from Bangladesh

"I wasn't aware of this service, it's fascinating and more reliable than standard IA tools available on the internet"

Arturo
from Mexico

"In a world of text messages and online communication, this is great to have as a live tool. Thank you."

Selena
from USA

"Wow, it's just so excellent. I never would have believed I could have a sure and excellent English companion. Thanks, TextRanch."

Ifiok
from Nigeria

"This is my first time using TextRanch, and I like how the editors take time to correct my text. To everyone who has never used TextRanch before, I highly recommend trying it."

Wilson
from France

"It is an amazing source of feedback because, as a non-native speaker, I really need to have a reliable helper correct my text."

Susan
from Germany

the majority suffer vs the majority suffers