afflict

verb

af·​flict ə-ˈflikt 

afflicted; afflicting; afflicts

transitive verb

1

a

: to cause pain or suffering to : to distress so severely as to cause persistent suffering or anguish

people afflicted with arthritis

a region afflicted by hunger and poverty

b

: trouble, injure

2

obsolete

a

: humble

b

: overthrow

Synonyms of afflict

• plague
• persecute

Choose the Right Synonym for afflict

afflict, try, torment, torture, rack mean to inflict on a person something that is hard to bear.

afflict is a general term and applies to the causing of pain or suffering or of acute annoyance, embarrassment, or any distress.

ills that afflict the elderly

try suggests imposing something that strains the powers of endurance or of self-control.

children often try their parents' patience

torment suggests persecution or the repeated inflicting of suffering or annoyance.

a horse tormented by flies

torture adds the implication of causing unbearable pain or suffering.

tortured by a sense of guilt

rack stresses straining or wrenching.

a body racked by pain

Examples of afflict in a Sentence

The disease afflicts an estimated two million people every year.

the South was afflicted by a severe drought

Recent Examples on the Web

The margin was so wide that issues that afflicted Republicans’ electoral chances elsewhere in the country, including high gas prices and the Iran war, didn’t substantially harm Tuberville. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026

Today, Alzheimer’s afflicts roughly one in nine Americans over sixty-five and, along with related dementias, has been estimated to cost the economy about three-quarters of a trillion dollars a year. — Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026

Calle 13 became famous not just for its edgy rap and urban music, but also for loudly calling out the economic and social inequalities that afflicted Puerto Rico. — Helena Alonso Paisley, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026

The uncertainty that afflicts others about how to dress for one’s age, one’s job or even the weather doesn’t seem to unsettle this cohort. — The Learning Network, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English afflihten "to excite, become distressed," probably verbal derivative of affliht, aflyght "disturbed, upset," borrowed from Latin afflīctus, past participle of afflīgere "to knock or strike down, ruin, distress severely," from ad- ad- + flīgere "to strike down" — more at profligate entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for afflict

• addict
• constrict
• delict
• depict
• evict
• handpicked
• inflict
• predict
• relict
• restrict
• bricked
• clicked

Kids Definition

afflict

verb

af·​flict ə-ˈflikt 

: to cause suffering or unhappiness to