as in painful
causing or feeling bodily pain
the afflictive disease known as shingles is a reactivation of the virus that causes chicken pox
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of afflictive
Perhaps this afflictive uncertainty can be redefined.
—
Krista Stevens, Longreads, 26 Apr. 2018
Krista Stevens, Longreads, 26 Apr. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afflictive
Adjective
-
All this may explain why the war doesn’t linger in British memory as a painful loss.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
But Saturday’s loss will hurt for a while, with Messi delivering a message to the team following the painful result.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
Alex Bregman, originally not in the Chicago Cubs lineup because of a sore toe from a hit by pitch Sunday, was called on to pinch hit in the seventh inning Tuesday night at Petco Park.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
But the Tigers’ bullpen has still been a sore point so far this season.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain (1997) Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain is an aching, tender slow burn shaped by absence.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The dramatic and aching second movement, according to Egarr, may have been a love letter to one of Beethoven’s romantic interests.—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Afflictive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afflictive. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
