afflicted

adjective

af·​flict·​ed ə-ˈflik-təd 

: grievously affected or troubled (as by a disease) : mentally or physically impaired

… a pet spaniel, so thin as to appear afflicted …

—Osbert Sitwell

Paul fell sick and must keep his bed; drink was the root of his malady, in my poor thought; but he was tended, and indeed carried himself, like an afflicted saint.

—Robert Louis Stevenson

providing comfort to the afflicted [=people who are ill, suffering, etc.]

Examples of afflicted in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The afflicted man instead went to a Dawson hospital, where he was fed only raw potatoes and charged $10 a day for the privilege. —David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 12 June 2022

For nearly five years, the lingering hope of the pundit class (and, notably, the Biden campaign) was that the Trump fever would eventually burn itself out and those so afflicted would awake from its throes eager to be normal again. —Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 6 Jan. 2022

Regarding Cuba now, there seems to be an additional Russian objective: weakening U.S. and Canadian intelligence on the island by forcing the evacuation of afflicted spies and diplomatic personnel. —Néstor T. Carbonell, National Review, 12 Apr. 2021

Some of the bikers pouring into the area are coming from distant states far more afflicted. —CBS News, 10 Aug. 2020

Kroger officials said McMullen had planned to remove his mask for the event, which was not attended by Pence's afflicted press secretary Katie Miller who stayed in Washington. —Alexander Coolidge, Cincinnati.com, 11 May 2020

Symptoms of the illness are similar to pneumonia, although videos have been posted that purportedly show afflicted people collapsing on the street, bleeding from their mouths, and being treated by doctors wearing hazmat suits. —Zachary Halaschak, Washington Examiner, 25 Jan. 2020

Mealy bugs can be a real problem, not just for the afflicted plant but for neighboring, healthy houseplants. —Adrian Higgins, Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2019

Making a compelling financial case to fight climate change and to help the most afflicted demands a rigorous accounting of its effects. —Umair Irfan, Vox, 9 Oct. 2018

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of afflict

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for afflicted

• addicted
• conflicted
• constricted
• convicted
• depicted
• evicted
• inflicted
• predicted
• restricted
• contradicted
• interdicted
• unrestricted