afflict

verb

af·​flict ə-ˈflikt 

afflicted; afflicting; afflicts

transitive verb

1

a

: to cause pain or suffering to : to distress so severely as to cause persistent suffering or anguish

people afflicted with arthritis

a region afflicted by hunger and poverty

b

: trouble, injure

2

obsolete

a

: humble

b

: overthrow

Synonyms

• agonize
• anguish
• bedevil
• beset
• besiege
• curse
• excruciate
• harrow
• persecute
• plague
• rack
• torment
• torture

Choose the Right Synonym for afflict

afflict, try, torment, torture, rack mean to inflict on a person something that is hard to bear.

afflict is a general term and applies to the causing of pain or suffering or of acute annoyance, embarrassment, or any distress.

ills that afflict the elderly

try suggests imposing something that strains the powers of endurance or of self-control.

children often try their parents' patience

torment suggests persecution or the repeated inflicting of suffering or annoyance.

a horse tormented by flies

torture adds the implication of causing unbearable pain or suffering.

tortured by a sense of guilt

rack stresses straining or wrenching.

a body racked by pain

Examples of afflict in a Sentence

The disease afflicts an estimated two million people every year.

the South was afflicted by a severe drought

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s largely the grim toll of the HIV disease that afflicts 8.4% of Malawi’s female population ages 15 to 49, and 6.7% of that age group overall, according to UNAIDS figures. —John Corrigan, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024

But on a night like last night where they were afflicted by so many injuries and are seemingly discombobulated, being able to pull victory out of the jaws of defeat is amazing. —Mikai Bruce, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024

Though Buck was still afflicted at the end of the hour, Minear confirms that Buck did break the curse. —Andy Swift, TVLine, 24 Oct. 2024

Hastings has worked with environmental justice organizations in California’s Central Valley, a far more CAFO-dense, ultra-productive agricultural region where residents are afflicted by air and water pollution and terrible odors. —Marina Bolotnikova, Vox, 10 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English afflihten "to excite, become distressed," probably verbal derivative of affliht, aflyght "disturbed, upset," borrowed from Latin afflīctus, past participle of afflīgere "to knock or strike down, ruin, distress severely," from ad- ad- + flīgere "to strike down" — more at profligate entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

afflict

verb

af·​flict ə-ˈflikt 

: to cause suffering or unhappiness to