The verb undergo means to experience, pass through, or be subjected to something, especially a process, treatment, change, test, or difficult experience. For example, someone may undergo surgery, undergo training, or undergo a major transformation. The word is common in formal and professional English, but using the same verb repeatedly can make writing feel stiff or repetitive.
The best alternative depends on what is happening and the tone you want. Words such as experience, endure, receive, complete, pass through, and submit to overlap with undergo, but they are not interchangeable in every sentence. This guide explains the differences so you can choose an accurate alternative for academic writing, business communication, emails, everyday conversation, and other contexts.
Quick Answer
Common synonyms for undergo include experience, endure, go through, pass through, receive, complete, face, encounter, tolerate, withstand, submit to, and be subjected to. The best choice depends on context: experience is broad and neutral, while endure emphasizes difficulty and receive often works with medical treatment.
Quick List: Synonyms for Undergo
Closest and Most Useful Alternatives
- Experience
- Go through
- Pass through
- Endure
- Face
- Encounter
- Receive
- Complete
- Be subjected to
- Submit to
- Withstand
- Tolerate
- Deal with
- Pass through a process
- Take part in
Formal Alternatives
- Be subjected to
- Submit to
- Experience
- Receive
- Complete
- Be exposed to
- Pass through
- Endure
- Withstand
- Encounter
Neutral Alternatives
- Experience
- Go through
- Face
- Deal with
- Complete
- Receive
- Take
- Pass through
Casual Alternatives
- Go through
- Deal with
- Get through
- Face
- Have
Formal Alternatives to Undergo
1. Be Subjected To
Meaning: To have something imposed on you or to be exposed to a particular process, treatment, or condition.
Explanation: This is a formal alternative to undergo, but it often emphasizes that the person or thing is receiving something from an outside source.
Example: The equipment was subjected to rigorous safety testing.
Best Use: Research, technical writing, reports, and formal documentation.
Worst Use: Casual conversation, where it can sound unnecessarily formal.
Tone: Formal and objective.
2. Submit To
Meaning: To willingly or unwillingly accept a procedure, examination, or process.
Explanation: Submit to can replace undergo when someone allows or is required to participate in a procedure.
Example: All applicants must submit to a background check.
Best Use: Official procedures, examinations, rules, and formal instructions.
Worst Use: Situations where participation is completely voluntary if submit could imply pressure.
Tone: Formal and sometimes authoritative.
3. Experience
Meaning: To personally encounter or live through something.
Explanation: Experience is one of the most flexible alternatives to undergo. Unlike undergo, it can sound more personal and does not necessarily suggest a formal process.
Example: The company experienced significant changes during the merger.
Best Use: General writing, business, academic work, and personal experiences.
Worst Use: Highly technical contexts where the exact nature of a procedure matters.
Tone: Neutral to formal.
4. Receive
Meaning: To be given or provided with something, especially treatment or a service.
Explanation: Receive works particularly well with medical procedures, treatment, care, and other services. It does not replace undergo in every context.
Example: The patient received treatment for the infection.
Best Use: Medical, healthcare, service, and professional contexts.
Worst Use: General experiences where nothing is actually being provided.
Tone: Neutral and professional.
5. Complete
Meaning: To finish a process, course, treatment, or required activity.
Explanation: Complete focuses on finishing rather than experiencing the process itself.
Example: The employees completed safety training before starting work.
Best Use: Training, education, programs, procedures, and assignments.
Worst Use: Painful or involuntary experiences where completion is not the main idea.
Tone: Neutral and professional.
6. Be Exposed To
Meaning: To come into contact with or be affected by something.
Explanation: This phrase is narrower than undergo. It is useful when the focus is exposure rather than participation.
Example: Workers were exposed to extreme temperatures during the test.
Best Use: Science, health, safety, environmental, and technical writing.
Worst Use: Ordinary activities such as attending a class or completing training.
Tone: Formal and technical.
7. Endure
Meaning: To experience something difficult, painful, or unpleasant and continue through it.
Explanation: Endure adds a strong sense of hardship. It should not be used as a general synonym for every instance of undergo.
Example: The region endured several years of drought.
Best Use: Difficult conditions, hardship, pain, and adversity.
Worst Use: Neutral processes such as training or routine testing.
Tone: Strong and serious.
8. Withstand
Meaning: To remain strong despite pressure, force, damage, or difficulty.
Explanation: Withstand is not a direct synonym in many situations. It emphasizes resistance rather than simply experiencing something.
Example: The structure withstood extensive pressure during the test.
Best Use: Engineering, physical challenges, pressure, criticism, and difficult conditions.
Worst Use: Routine medical appointments or educational programs.
Tone: Formal and strong.
9. Encounter
Meaning: To experience or come across something, usually unexpectedly.
Explanation: Encounter focuses on meeting or coming across something rather than intentionally participating in a process.
Example: The researchers encountered several unexpected problems.
Best Use: Problems, challenges, situations, and unexpected events.
Worst Use: Planned procedures such as surgery or scheduled training.
Tone: Neutral to formal.
10. Pass Through
Meaning: To experience or move through a stage, process, or period.
Explanation: This phrase can closely match undergo when describing a transition or process.
Example: The organization passed through a period of major restructuring.
Best Use: Change, development, transitions, and processes.
Worst Use: Very technical contexts where a more precise verb is available.
Tone: Neutral to formal.
Semi-Formal and Neutral Alternatives
11. Go Through
Meaning: To experience or deal with something.
Explanation: Go through is one of the most natural everyday alternatives to undergo. It is less formal and often sounds more conversational.
Example: She went through several rounds of interviews.
Best Use: Everyday speech, emails, conversations, and accessible writing.
Worst Use: Highly formal legal or scientific documents where greater precision is needed.
Tone: Neutral and conversational.
12. Face
Meaning: To deal with or confront a situation, problem, or challenge.
Explanation: Face emphasizes confronting something rather than simply experiencing it.
Example: The company faced several challenges during expansion.
Best Use: Problems, challenges, risks, and difficult situations.
Worst Use: Routine processes such as receiving treatment.
Tone: Neutral.
13. Deal With
Meaning: To handle or manage a situation, problem, or experience.
Explanation: Deal with focuses on response and management rather than passive experience.
Example: The team had to deal with unexpected delays.
Best Use: Problems, workplace situations, and everyday conversation.
Worst Use: Medical or technical situations where the actual process matters more than the response.
Tone: Neutral and conversational.
14. Take
Meaning: To participate in or complete a particular process, course, test, or treatment.
Explanation: Take can replace undergo in certain fixed expressions, such as take a test or take a course. It is not a universal substitute.
Example: All students must take a final examination.
Best Use: Tests, courses, examinations, and certain treatments.
Worst Use: Experiences where take would sound unnatural.
Tone: Neutral.
15. Have
Meaning: To receive, experience, or participate in something.
Explanation: In everyday English, have can make some expressions much more natural.
Example: She had surgery last month.
Best Use: Everyday conversation and common expressions.
Worst Use: Formal academic writing when a more precise verb would improve clarity.
Tone: Neutral and conversational.
16. Experience
Meaning: To live through or encounter an event, condition, or change.
Example: The town experienced rapid growth after the new highway opened.
Best Use: Changes, events, difficulties, and personal experiences.
Worst Use: When the sentence specifically means completing a formal procedure.
Tone: Neutral.
17. Encounter
Meaning: To come across something, especially a challenge or problem.
Example: The team encountered technical difficulties during the project.
Best Use: Problems, obstacles, and unexpected situations.
Worst Use: Planned activities.
Tone: Neutral to professional.
18. Face
Meaning: To confront or deal with something.
Example: The patient faced a long recovery period after the procedure.
Best Use: Challenges, risks, difficulties, and consequences.
Worst Use: Simple neutral processes with no sense of difficulty.
Tone: Neutral.
Informal and Casual Alternatives
19. Go Through
Meaning: To experience something.
Example: I went through a difficult training period last year.
When It Sounds Natural: Conversation, texting, informal emails, and personal stories.
When to Avoid It: Highly formal reports when a more precise expression is preferable.
Tone: Casual to neutral.
20. Deal With
Meaning: To handle or experience a situation.
Example: We had to deal with a few technical problems.
When It Sounds Natural: Everyday conversation and workplace discussions.
When to Avoid It: When you mean physically receiving a procedure or treatment.
Tone: Casual and practical.
21. Get Through
Meaning: To successfully finish or survive a difficult period or process.
Example: She got through a challenging training program.
When It Sounds Natural: Conversations about difficulties or demanding experiences.
When to Avoid It: Formal technical descriptions.
Tone: Casual and encouraging.
22. Have
Meaning: To experience or receive something.
Example: He had surgery last week.
When It Sounds Natural: Everyday speech, especially with common medical or personal events.
When to Avoid It: When precision about the process is important.
Tone: Casual and neutral.
23. Face
Meaning: To confront a situation or challenge.
Example: We are facing several changes this year.
When It Sounds Natural: Conversations about problems, changes, or challenges.
When to Avoid It: Routine processes that are not challenging.
Tone: Casual to neutral.
True Synonyms vs. Contextual Alternatives
Not every word listed above can replace undergo without changing the meaning. The distinction matters because undergo usually focuses on experiencing or being subjected to a process, while alternatives such as endure or complete add different ideas.
| Type | What It Means | Can It Replace the Original? |
|---|---|---|
| True synonym | Has nearly the same core meaning | Usually |
| Near synonym | Has a similar meaning but adds a different nuance | Sometimes |
| Contextual alternative | Works only in certain situations | Only in specific contexts |
| Broader expression | Covers a wider range of experiences | Sometimes |
| Narrower expression | Refers to a more specific type of experience | Only when that meaning fits |
The Most Accurate General Replacement
Experience is usually the safest broad alternative because it can describe many things a person, organization, or system undergoes.
For example:
The company underwent major changes.
can become:
The company experienced major changes.
The meaning remains very close.
When “Endure” Is Better
Use endure when the experience is difficult or unpleasant.
The community underwent severe hardship.
can become:
The community endured severe hardship.
The second sentence places more emphasis on suffering and persistence.
When “Complete” Is Better
Use complete when the important idea is finishing a process.
The employees underwent training.
can become:
The employees completed training.
However, the second sentence emphasizes finishing the training rather than simply participating in it.
Industry-Specific Usage
Business Writing
In business writing, experience, face, go through, and undergo are often useful.
Undergo: The company underwent a major restructuring.
Experience: The company experienced significant growth.
Face: The company faced several operational challenges.
Choose the word based on the intended meaning. Experience is broad, while face suggests a challenge.
Corporate Communication
Corporate reports often benefit from precise wording.
Example:
The organization underwent a comprehensive review of its internal procedures.
A less formal version would be:
The organization completed a comprehensive review of its internal procedures.
Use complete when the focus is on finishing the review.
Academic Writing
Academic writing often favors undergo, experience, be subjected to, and be exposed to, depending on the subject.
Example:
The samples underwent three rounds of testing.
This is appropriate because the samples were subjected to a defined testing process.
Another option is:
The samples were subjected to three rounds of testing.
This sounds more formal and emphasizes the testing procedure.
Customer Service
Customer service communication usually benefits from clear, simple wording.
Instead of:
Your request will undergo further review.
You could write:
Your request will receive further review.
Or:
Our team will review your request again.
The final version is often clearer because it directly states who will perform the action.
Legal Writing
Legal and regulatory writing requires particular care. Undergo, be subjected to, and submit to can have different implications depending on the document.
For example:
The applicant must undergo an examination.
and
The applicant must submit to an examination.
are similar, but submit to can emphasize the applicant’s obligation to comply with the procedure.
Do not replace legal wording casually if the exact scope of a requirement matters.
Email Communication
Professional emails often sound clearer when undergo is replaced with a more direct verb.
Instead of:
The document will undergo review.
Consider:
The document will be reviewed.
The second version uses the passive form of the more direct verb review and is usually easier to read.
Email Examples
Client Communication
Subject: Project Review Update
Hello Sarah,
The project has completed its initial review, and our team is now addressing the remaining comments. We expect to share the revised version with you by Friday.
Best regards,
Daniel
Internal Workplace Email
Subject: Training Update
Hi Team,
All new employees must complete the required safety training before beginning work on the production floor. Please make sure your training is finished by Thursday.
Thanks,
Maria
Customer Service
Subject: Your Request
Hello James,
Thank you for contacting us. Your request is currently being reviewed by our support team. We will contact you as soon as we have an update.
Kind regards,
Customer Support
Academic Communication
Subject: Research Project Update
Dear Professor Lee,
The study participants completed the first stage of the assessment this week. We are now preparing the data for analysis and expect to finish the next stage soon.
Best,
Emily
Vendor Communication
Subject: Equipment Testing
Hello Mr. Patel,
The equipment has been subjected to additional safety testing following the latest inspection. We will send the final testing report once the process is complete.
Regards,
Michael
Short Dialogue Examples
Workplace
Person A: Has the new system undergone testing yet?
Person B: Yes. The technical team completed the first round yesterday.
Classroom
Person A: Did everyone undergo the assessment?
Person B: Yes, everyone completed it before lunch.
Customer Service
Person A: What happens to my application now?
Person B: Our team will review it and contact you when there is an update.
Casual Conversation
Person A: How was your first week at the new job?
Person B: Pretty tough. I went through a lot of training.
Professional Discussion
Person A: Why did the process take so long?
Person B: The equipment was subjected to several additional tests.
How to Replace “Undergo” in a Sentence
Example 1
Original: The patient will undergo surgery tomorrow.
Alternative: The patient will have surgery tomorrow.
Why it works: Have surgery is more natural in everyday English, while undergo surgery sounds more formal.
Example 2
Original: The employees underwent training.
Alternative: The employees completed training.
Why it works: Completed emphasizes that the training was finished.
Example 3
Original: The company underwent major changes.
Alternative: The company experienced major changes.
Why it works: Experienced is a natural, neutral alternative.
Example 4
Original: The samples underwent testing.
Alternative: The samples were subjected to testing.
Why it works: The alternative is more formal and emphasizes that testing was performed on the samples.
Example 5
Original: She underwent a difficult recovery.
Alternative: She went through a difficult recovery.
Why it works: Went through sounds more conversational while preserving the general meaning.
Example 6
Original: The organization underwent restructuring.
Alternative: The organization went through restructuring.
Why it works: The alternative is less formal and more natural in everyday business discussion.
Example 7
Original: The region underwent severe flooding.
Alternative: The region experienced severe flooding.
Why it works: Experienced is a strong neutral choice for events affecting a place or population.
Example 8
Original: The applicants underwent background checks.
Alternative: The applicants were subjected to background checks.
Why it works: Were subjected to is more formal and emphasizes the process imposed on the applicants.
Example 9
Original: The building underwent extensive repairs.
Alternative: The building received extensive repairs.
Why it works: Received repairs focuses on the work performed on the building.
Example 10
Original: The team underwent several challenges during the project.
Alternative: The team faced several challenges during the project.
Why it works: Faced is more precise because challenges are something a person or team confronts rather than simply receives.
Comparison Table
| Phrase | Tone | Meaning / Scope | Best Use | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergo | Formal | Experience a process or change | Professional writing | The system underwent testing. |
| Experience | Neutral | Live through or encounter | General writing | The company experienced growth. |
| Go through | Casual/neutral | Experience a process or period | Conversation | She went through training. |
| Endure | Strong | Experience something difficult | Hardship | They endured severe conditions. |
| Receive | Neutral/formal | Be given treatment or service | Medical/service | He received treatment. |
| Complete | Neutral | Finish a process | Training/programs | She completed the course. |
| Face | Neutral | Confront a challenge | Problems | They faced several obstacles. |
| Encounter | Formal/neutral | Come across something | Problems/events | We encountered difficulties. |
| Submit to | Formal | Accept or comply with a procedure | Official procedures | He submitted to testing. |
| Be subjected to | Formal | Have something imposed or performed | Technical/formal writing | The material was subjected to testing. |
| Withstand | Formal | Resist pressure or damage | Technical/difficult conditions | The structure withstood pressure. |
| Deal with | Casual/neutral | Handle a situation | Everyday/workplace use | We dealt with the issue. |
Which Alternative Should You Choose?
For Formal Writing
Choose undergo, be subjected to, submit to, or experience, depending on the sentence.
For Business Communication
Experience, complete, face, and undergo are useful choices.
For Academic Writing
Use undergo, experience, be subjected to, or be exposed to when their specific meanings fit.
For Legal Writing
Prefer precise terminology such as undergo, submit to, or be subjected to when appropriate. Do not substitute a casual phrase if it changes the legal meaning.
For Professional Email
Use direct wording such as complete, receive, review, experience, or go through, depending on the context.
For Everyday Conversation
Go through, have, face, and deal with often sound more natural than undergo.
For Casual Messages
Use go through, deal with, get through, or have when they accurately express the intended meaning.
Grammar and Usage Guide
“Undergo” Is an Irregular Verb
The main forms are:
- Present: undergo
- Third-person singular: undergoes
- Past: underwent
- Past participle: undergone
- Present participle: undergoing
Examples:
The patient will undergo treatment.
The patient underwent treatment.
The patient has undergone treatment.
The patient is undergoing treatment.
“Undergo” Usually Takes a Direct Object
You normally say:
The company underwent major changes.
Not:
The company underwent through major changes.
Undergo already contains the idea of passing through an experience, so through is unnecessary.
“Undergo” vs. “Go Through”
Both can describe experiencing a process:
She underwent extensive training.
She went through extensive training.
The first is more formal. The second is more conversational.
“Undergo” vs. “Underwent”
Use underwent for a completed past event:
The building underwent repairs last year.
Use undergo after modal or auxiliary structures:
The building will undergo repairs.
“Undergo” vs. “Undergone”
Use undergone with auxiliary verbs such as has, have, or had:
The company has undergone significant changes.
Do not write:
The company has underwent significant changes.
That is incorrect.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Adding “Through” After “Undergo”
Incorrect:
The company underwent through major changes.
Correct:
The company underwent major changes.
2. Using “Underwent” After “Has”
Incorrect:
The patient has underwent surgery.
Correct:
The patient has undergone surgery.
3. Treating Every Alternative as an Exact Synonym
Endure, complete, face, and receive add different meanings. Choose them based on context.
4. Using “Endure” for Neutral Processes
Training is not necessarily difficult or painful.
The employees underwent training.
is more neutral than:
The employees endured training.
The second sentence suggests that the training was unpleasant.
5. Using “Complete” When You Mean “Experience”
Complete emphasizes finishing.
The students completed the program.
does not mean exactly the same thing as:
The students underwent the program.
6. Using Casual Language in Formal Documents
Go through may be perfectly natural in conversation but less suitable in a highly formal research report.
7. Using “Receive” Without Something Being Given
Receive works naturally with treatment, services, or something provided to someone.
The patient received treatment.
It is not a universal substitute for undergo.
8. Using “Face” for Every Experience
Face suggests confrontation, difficulty, or a challenge.
The company faced financial difficulties.
works well, but:
The company faced training.
does not.
When Not to Use “Undergo”
1. When a Simpler Verb Is Clearer
Instead of:
The manager underwent a review of the document.
You could write:
The manager reviewed the document.
The second sentence is shorter and clearer if the manager actually performed the review.
2. In Casual Conversation
Undergo can sound formal in relaxed speech.
I went through a tough week.
usually sounds more natural than:
I underwent a tough week.
3. When “Complete” Is More Precise
If the key idea is finishing something, use complete.
She completed the training.
4. When “Receive” Is More Accurate
For treatment or services, receive can be more natural.
The patient received treatment.
5. When “Face” Better Expresses a Challenge
Use face when someone confronts a problem.
The team faced several obstacles.
6. When the Sentence Can Use a Direct Active Verb
Instead of:
The proposal underwent review by the committee.
you can often write:
The committee reviewed the proposal.
This makes the sentence more direct.
7. When the Meaning Could Become Ambiguous
Do not replace undergo with a broad word such as experience if the exact process is important and the alternative could make the sentence unclear.
When “Undergo” Is Actually the Better Choice
Keep undergo when you need a concise formal verb for experiencing a defined process, treatment, procedure, transformation, or examination.
For example:
The material underwent extensive testing.
Here, undergo is concise, precise, and natural.
Advanced Writer Tips
Tone Control
Use undergo, be subjected to, and submit to for formal contexts. Use experience for neutral writing and go through for conversational language.
Professional Email Etiquette
Prefer direct verbs when they make your message easier to understand.
Instead of:
Your request will undergo further processing.
try:
Our team will process your request further.
Politeness
Word choice can affect how a message feels. Go through often sounds approachable, while be subjected to can sound strict or impersonal.
Context Alignment
Think about what actually happened. Did someone experience an event, complete a process, receive treatment, or face a challenge? Choose the verb that describes the action most accurately.
Precision
Avoid choosing a synonym simply because it sounds sophisticated. A simple word with the correct meaning is better than a formal word that changes the message.
Readability
If undergo makes a sentence feel heavy, consider a direct construction.
The document underwent review.
can often become:
The team reviewed the document.
The second sentence is clearer because it identifies the actor.
Related Questions
What Is Another Way to Say “Undergo”?
Common alternatives include experience, go through, receive, complete, face, endure, encounter, and be subjected to. The correct choice depends on whether you are describing a process, treatment, challenge, change, or difficult experience.
What Is a Professional Alternative to “Undergo”?
Experience, be subjected to, receive, and complete can work well in professional writing, but each has a different meaning. Undergo itself is already a professional and formal word.
What Is a Formal Alternative to “Undergo”?
Depending on context, be subjected to, submit to, experience, and pass through can provide formal alternatives.
Is “Undergo” Formal?
Yes. Undergo is generally considered formal or neutral-formal English. It is common in professional, academic, medical, technical, and official writing.
Can “Go Through” Replace “Undergo”?
Often, yes. Go through is a more conversational alternative, but it can sound less formal and may not fit highly technical or official writing.
What Is the Difference Between “Undergo” and “Experience”?
Undergo often suggests passing through a defined process or being subjected to something, while experience is broader and can describe almost any event or situation someone encounters.
What Is the Difference Between “Undergo” and “Endure”?
Undergo is neutral about whether something is pleasant or unpleasant. Endure specifically suggests difficulty, pain, hardship, or something unpleasant.
FAQs
Is “Experience” a synonym for “Undergo”?
Yes, in many contexts. Experience is a broad, neutral alternative, but it does not always emphasize a formal process or procedure in the same way that undergo does.
Is “Undergo” a positive or negative word?
Neither. Undergo is neutral. The experience can be positive, negative, or neutral depending on the noun that follows it.
What is the past tense of “undergo”?
The past tense is underwent. For example: “The company underwent major changes last year.”
What is the past participle of “undergo”?
The past participle is undergone. For example: “The system has undergone several updates.”
Is “undergo through” grammatically correct?
No. Undergo already expresses the idea of passing through or experiencing something, so through is normally unnecessary.
Which is more casual: “undergo” or “go through”?
Go through is more casual and conversational. Undergo is more formal and is common in professional, academic, medical, and technical writing.
Can “endure” always replace “undergo”?
No. Endure specifically suggests that something is difficult, unpleasant, or challenging. It is therefore narrower than undergo.
Key Takeaways
- Undergo is a formal, neutral verb meaning to experience or pass through a process, treatment, change, or situation.
- Experience is one of the broadest and safest alternatives, but it may lose the sense of a defined process.
- Go through works well in everyday and conversational English, while be subjected to is more formal and technical.
- Endure, face, complete, and receive are contextual alternatives, not universal replacements.
- Always choose the alternative that preserves the original meaning, tone, and level of precision.
Conclusion
Choosing the right synonym for undergo depends less on finding a replacement word and more on understanding what the sentence actually means. Experience is a useful neutral option, while go through sounds more conversational. Receive works especially well for treatment, complete emphasizes finishing a process, and face is better for challenges. For difficult experiences, endure adds a clear sense of hardship, while be subjected to suits formal or technical contexts.
The original word undergo remains an excellent choice when you need a concise, professional way to describe passing through a defined process, treatment, examination, or change. Before replacing it, consider the audience, tone, and exact action being described. A simpler word is often better if it communicates the idea more directly. The strongest writing is not about using the most sophisticated synonym—it is about choosing the most accurate one.