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.
1. to overthrow; defeat.
2. 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 on Thesaurus.com

1. vex, harass, torment, plague.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for afflicted

depressed, stricken, cursed, impaired, suffering, grieved, doleful

Examples from the Web for afflicted

Contemporary Examples of afflicted

They are afflicted with “progressive spiritual emptiness,” he said, which no amount of academic honors and degrees can fill.
Pope Francis Denounces the Vatican Elite’s 'Spiritual Alzheimer’s'
Barbie Latza Nadeau
December 23, 2014
Ortega has dismissed the allegations of autocracy and fraud that have afflicted his presidency as politically motivated.
China’s Nicaragua Canal Could Spark a New Central America Revolution
Nina Lakhani
November 30, 2014
Pat Roberts is in trouble for the same reasons that have afflicted many other senators.
A Loss by Pat Roberts in Kansas? Actually, Not So Bizarre
Jeff Greenfield
October 3, 2014
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
Silva concludes that America is afflicted by the socio-optic condition of “colorblind racism.”
How We Got to Ferguson—a Reading List
David Masciotra
August 23, 2014

Historical Examples of afflicted

She was also afflicted with a high color, and a chronic eruption of diamonds.
Malbone
Thomas Wentworth Higginson
Mary regarded the afflicted creature with that sympathy born only of experience.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana
How silly of you, Toinette, to be so afflicted at his death.
The Imaginary Invalid
Molire
Mrs. Beaufort, languid and afflicted with headache, said little.
Night and Morning, Complete
Edward Bulwer-Lytton
In politics one afflicted with self-respect and addicted to the vice of independence.
The Devil's Dictionary
Ambrose Bierce

British Dictionary definitions for afflicted

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 afflicted

"person or persons in constant suffering of body or mind," 1650s, noun use of past participle adjective from afflict.

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.