inflict

[in-flikt]

verb (used with object)

1. to impose as something that must be borne or suffered.

   to inflict punishment.

2. to impose (anything unwelcome).

   The regime inflicted burdensome taxes on the people.

3. to deal or deliver, as a blow.

inflict

/ ɪnˈflɪkt /

verb

1. to impose (something unwelcome, such as pain, oneself, etc)

2. rare,  to cause to suffer; afflict (with)

3. to deal out (blows, lashes, etc)

Other Word Forms

• inflictable adjective
• inflicter noun
• inflictor noun
• inflictive adjective
• preinflict verb (used with object)
• uninflicted adjective
• infliction noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of inflict¹

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin inflīctus, past participle of inflīgere “to strike or dash against,” equivalent to in- “in” + flīg- (stem of flīgere “to beat down”) + -tus past participle suffix; in- ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of inflict¹

C16: from Latin inflīgere to strike (something) against, dash against, from flīgere to strike

Example Sentences

Speaking at a conference on Monday, head of the Confederation of British Industry Rain Newton-Smith urged Reeves not to inflict "death by a thousand taxes" on businesses.

Read more on BBC

The audience has been steadily aging as well, feeling every ache that the decade between the show’s first season and the present has inflicted.

Read more on Salon

The Fed’s dovish turn and tighter liquidity have destabilized equity markets of late and inflicted real damage on returns.

Read more on MarketWatch

Many cancer therapies work by inflicting deliberate DNA damage on tumor cells, and early drug development often requires precise measurements of how much damage a compound creates.

Read more on Science Daily

Nottingham Forest won 3-0 away to Liverpool on Saturday to inflict a fresh blow on the champions' hopes of defending their Premier League title.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• exact 
• expose 
• levy 
• wreak