as in to impose
to cause someone to accept or experience something unwanted
The criminal inflicted a lifetime of distress on his unsuspecting victims.
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Recent Examples of inflict
Israel has inflicted a number of aerial attacks on Iran’s military infrastructure since Tehran’s ally, Hamas, launched a surprise attack against the Jewish state on October 7, 2023.
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Benjamin Weinthal, Fox News, 8 Dec. 2024
Legislatures, not courts, are the proper place to decide the outer limits of what experiments doctors may inflict on children, and to adjust those decisions over time on the basis of changing conditions.
—The Editors, National Review, 5 Dec. 2024
Georgia’s human rights ombudsman on Tuesday accused police of inflicting torture on people arrested during the protests.
—Christian Edwards, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024
But 2024 just isn’t Assad’s year: Russia has impoverished and overextended itself fighting Ukraine, and Hezbollah is busy nursing groin injuries inflicted by Israel.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for inflict 
Benjamin Weinthal, Fox News, 8 Dec. 2024
Legislatures, not courts, are the proper place to decide the outer limits of what experiments doctors may inflict on children, and to adjust those decisions over time on the basis of changing conditions.
—The Editors, National Review, 5 Dec. 2024
Georgia’s human rights ombudsman on Tuesday accused police of inflicting torture on people arrested during the protests.
—Christian Edwards, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024
But 2024 just isn’t Assad’s year: Russia has impoverished and overextended itself fighting Ukraine, and Hezbollah is busy nursing groin injuries inflicted by Israel.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for inflict
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflict
Verb
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Even if Beijing is selective in issuing threats and imposing restrictions, taking action against some U.S. partners but not others, the same chill will be running through capitals across the world, from Brussels to New Delhi.Daniel H. Rosen, Foreign Affairs, 17 Dec. 2024
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In July, California imposed permanent water restrictions on towns and cities, an attempt to locally respond to droughts that are expected to only get worse in the coming decades.Elizabeth Rush, The Atlantic, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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This instance has created a perfect storm for long-term health problems.Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
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President Joe Biden is prepared to veto legislation that would create new federal judgeships for President-elect Donald Trump to fill, a move that would give him the most presidential vetoes since Bill Clinton.Christian Datoc, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Posey wasn’t sufficiently deterred by the fact that signing Adames, who had been extended a qualifying offer by the Brewers, will force the Giants to sacrifice their second- and fifth-round picks along with $1 million in international bonus money from their 2026 pool.Andrew Baggarly, The Athletic, 8 Dec. 2024
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Meanwhile, in 1739 Scotland, Roger (Richard Rankin) and Buck (Diarmaid Murtagh) track down the tinker who lost a bet and was forced to part with Roger’s father’s WWI identification tags.Lincee Ray, EW.com, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
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And the filmmaker, who’s disfigured himself, really wanted to bring it out in the open.Elena Nelson Howe, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024
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Disney brings us a new and original tale of these beloved characters telling two parallel stories and correcting the aspects that didn’t work in the 2019 remake.Michaela Zee, Variety, 10 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near inflict
Cite this Entry
“Inflict.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflict. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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