afflict

[uh-flikt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR afflict ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to distress with mental or bodily pain; trouble greatly or grievously: to be afflicted with arthritis.

Obsolete.

to overthrow; defeat.
to humble.

Origin of afflict

1350–1400; Middle English afflicten < Latin afflīctus distressed, past participle of afflīgere to cast down (af- af- + flīg- knock + -tus past participle suffix); replacing Middle English aflight < Middle French aflit < L. See inflict

Related formsaf·flict·ed·ness, nounaf·flict·er, nouno·ver·af·flict, verb (used with object)pre·af·flict, verb (used with object)self-af·flict·ing, adjectiveun·af·flict·ed, adjectiveun·af·flict·ed·ly, adverbun·af·flict·ed·ness, nounun·af·flict·ing, adjective

Can be confusedafflict infect inflict

Synonyms for afflict

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR afflict ON THESAURUS.COM

1. vex, harass, torment, plague.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for afflict

annoy, torture, bother, wound, oppress, beset, torment, burden, plague, rack, crucify, smite, pester, pain, distress, agonize, lacerate, grieve, vex, try

Examples from the Web for afflict

Contemporary Examples of afflict

He wanted to give a voice to the voiceless, comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable.
Obama Administration and Sotloff Family Battle Over Blame for Journalist’s Kidnapping
Josh Rogin
September 22, 2014
They want to take on authority and comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable and all that hoo-ha.
On The Times' House Liberalism
Michael Tomasky
August 27, 2012
Tina Brown: So performance anxiety must afflict writers as well as actors.
Philip Roth Unbound: Interview Transcript
The Daily Beast Video
October 30, 2009

Historical Examples of afflict

Certain aspects of enforced Germanization can but afflict all outsiders.
In the Heart of Vosges
Matilda Betham-Edwards
And, on the other hand, say I had a sense of it, would it not afflict me beyond measure?
The Memorable Thoughts of Socrates
Xenophon
Day or night it was all one with us; never did our tormentors cease to afflict us.
In the Days of Drake
J. S. Fletcher
The news which he had heard did afflict Lord George very much.
Is He Popenjoy?
Anthony Trollope
But these are torments which afflict the wealthy only; and for this I at least am sincerely thankful.
The Book-Hunter at Home
P. B. M. Allan

British Dictionary definitions for afflict

afflict

verb

(tr) to cause suffering or unhappiness to; distress greatly

Derived Formsafflictive, adjective

Word Origin for afflict

C14: from Latin afflictus, past participle of afflīgere to knock against, from flīgere to knock, to strike

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for afflict

late 14c., "to cast down," from Old French aflicter, from Latin afflictare "to damage, harass, torment," frequentative of affligere (past participle afflictus) "to dash down, overthrow," from ad- "to" (see ad-) + fligere (past participle flictus) "to strike," from PIE root *bhlig- "to strike" (cf. Greek phlibein "to press, crush," Czech blizna "scar," Welsh blif "catapult"). Transferred meaning of "trouble, distress," is first recorded 1530s. Related: Afflicted; afflicting.