affliction

American  

[uh-flik-shuhn] / əˈflɪk ʃən /

noun

1. a state of pain, distress, or grief; misery.

   They sympathized with us in our affliction.

   Antonyms:

   solace, comfort, relief

2. a cause of mental or bodily pain, as sickness, loss, calamity, or persecution.

   Synonyms:

   disaster, catastrophe, calamity, tribulation, trouble, mishap

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affliction British  

/ əˈflɪkʃən /

noun

1. a condition of great distress, pain, or suffering

2. something responsible for physical or mental suffering, such as a disease, grief, etc

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Usage

What is affliction? Affliction refers to a negative state that could include pain, suffering, or grief, as in The servants watched over the manor while the duke was in a state of affliction following his son’s death. Affliction can also refer to something that causes mental or bodily pain, such as disease or misfortune, as in The captain was bedridden due to a mysterious affliction that the doctor couldn’t identify.  Affliction is used similarly to words like adversity, misfortune, and trial, which also describe things that cause suffering or pain. Unlike these words, though, affliction is often used to describe something specifically forced on a person that causes serious emotional effects in addition to other suffering. Example: The man lost his hearing during the accident but has since learned to live with his affliction. 

Synonym Usage

Affliction, adversity, misfortune, trial refer to an event or circumstance that is hard to bear. A misfortune is any adverse or unfavorable occurrence: He had the misfortune to break his leg. Affliction suggests not only a serious misfortune but the emotional effect of this: Blindness is an affliction. Adversity suggests a calamity or distress: Job remained patient despite all his adversities. Trial emphasizes the testing of one's character in undergoing misfortunes, trouble, etc.: His son's conduct was a great trial to him.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• afflictionless
  adjective
• preaffliction
  noun
• overaffliction
  noun

Etymology

Origin of affliction

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English affliccioun, from Latin afflīctiōn-, stem of afflīctiō; equivalent to afflict + -ion

Explanation

An affliction makes you suffer, but you have to deal with it anyway. Diseases are often said to be afflictions, but the word can mean just about anything that causes great suffering. The word afflict, which makes up the first part of the word, means to cause this type of trouble. "Tom liked to inflict pain on his brother. His brother considered Tom just one more affliction he had to bear." The word can also be used as an exaggeration of something that isn't so bad––"Homework is often seen as an affliction by students and parents alike."

Example Sentences

Mr. Trump said in 2008 at an Affliction news conference.

From New York Times • Nov. 9, 2019

Affliction ended up folding for financial reasons after two events, both headlined by Emelianenko.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 28, 2018

But perhaps his finest hour was the 1997 drama Affliction, which he again wrote and directed.

From The Guardian • Nov. 13, 2016

Most alarming, Ed Hardy and Affliction apparel continued to plague the pedestrian population.

From Washington Post • Aug. 4, 2016

Affliction, but Dad says, Och, child, the world is an affliction and everything in it, puts on his cap and goes to the Bedford Row Hospital to see Mam and Michael.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt

Related Words

• calamity
• disease
• disorder
• hardship
• illness
• infirmity
• misery
• pain
• scourge
• sickness
• suffering
• torment
• woe