as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
the afflicting sight of so many earthquake victims was too much even for some hardened rescue workers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to
the South was afflicted by a severe drought he's been afflicted by nightmares ever since the accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of afflicting
Sam Mednick, Chicago Tribune, 30 Dec. 2024
The United States now suffers from twin pathologies—one afflicting the health of its citizens and the other the health of its political system.
—Thomas J. Bollyky, Foreign Affairs, 30 Jan. 2020
The swift growth has been accompanied by stressors afflicting the city’s infrastructure, including its housing supply.
—Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Maylia and Jack are both kids, two of the untold number of minors caught up in one side or the other of the burgeoning fentanyl trade afflicting the US.
—Longreads, 4 Oct. 2024
Whatever's afflicting you out there, in here the coffee is always hot, the fries are always crispy and the ranch dip is always free.
—Tyler Buchanan, Axios, 18 Oct. 2024
Something is genuinely off about the goings-on at the conference, from strange deaths and elevators that suddenly aren’t elevators, to a rash of scabby infections afflicting guests and the discovery of a subterranean tunnel.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024
Israel has also been busy afflicting potentially mortal blows against Hezbollah’s powerful rocket and missile arsenal, estimated to number anywhere from 150,000 to 200,000 surface-to-surface projectiles, including long-range and precision-guided munitions.
—Paul Iddon, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
Verb
An audacious plan In the mid-1980s, global health agencies were otherwise occupied and heads of state largely overlooked the illness afflicting millions of their citizens.
—Sam Mednick, Chicago Tribune, 30 Dec. 2024
The United States now suffers from twin pathologies—one afflicting the health of its citizens and the other the health of its political system.
—Thomas J. Bollyky, Foreign Affairs, 30 Jan. 2020
The swift growth has been accompanied by stressors afflicting the city’s infrastructure, including its housing supply.
—Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Maylia and Jack are both kids, two of the untold number of minors caught up in one side or the other of the burgeoning fentanyl trade afflicting the US.
—Longreads, 4 Oct. 2024
Whatever's afflicting you out there, in here the coffee is always hot, the fries are always crispy and the ranch dip is always free.
—Tyler Buchanan, Axios, 18 Oct. 2024
Something is genuinely off about the goings-on at the conference, from strange deaths and elevators that suddenly aren’t elevators, to a rash of scabby infections afflicting guests and the discovery of a subterranean tunnel.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024
Israel has also been busy afflicting potentially mortal blows against Hezbollah’s powerful rocket and missile arsenal, estimated to number anywhere from 150,000 to 200,000 surface-to-surface projectiles, including long-range and precision-guided munitions.
—Paul Iddon, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afflicting
Adjective
-
Whether a client hires a single architect to design a house or a team to work on a downtown plan with multiple community stakeholders, the architect-client relationship is rarely one of a painful struggle.—
Matt Shaw,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Throughout her childhood, Dee Dee subjected her Gypsy-Rose to years of painful medical procedures that were not needed.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Unlike Western cleansers, which often rely on harsh surfactants or astringent ingredients, Korean ones maintain the skin’s moisture barrier and natural pH balance, says Cho.—
Denise Primbet,
Glamour,
28 Feb. 2025
-
The 79-year-old Oscar winner embraces the challenging role of the Dutton family matriarch alongside co-star Harrison Ford, confronting everything from mountain lions to the harsh realities of frontier life.—
Holly Williams,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Even then, the final late twist with the penalty felt particularly cruel.—
Patrick Boyland,
The Athletic,
23 Feb. 2025
-
Directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, Still Alice highlights the cruel nature of the illness, where a person can still feel present while simultaneously losing pieces of themselves, creating a unique kind of grief.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Afflicting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afflicting. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share