afflict
verb (used with object)
to distress with mental or bodily pain; trouble greatly or grievously.
has afflicted
-
present perfectof afflict (3rd person singular).present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But as one POW’s descendant told Mike Cherney, it’s also the best hope yet to close a wound that has afflicted his family for three generations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
This partly explains, Cembalest writes, the deindustrialization that has afflicted its economy so debilitatingly in the last few years.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 9, 2026
But if England can avoid the early scoreboard slippage that has afflicted them in the past matches and stick tight to the hosts, they may be rewarded.
From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2026
Leprosy, a disease that can cause nerve damage, lesions, and the loss of smell and eyesight, has afflicted people for millennia—and we’re not alone.
From Science Magazine ● May 3, 2024
“You are not understanding what has afflicted him,” Maire Solanya said.
From "Ash" by Malinda Lo
