The disease afflicts an estimated two million people every year.
the South was afflicted by a severe drought
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Recent research suggests that the global area afflicted by lethal heat waves would triple in size in coming decades even if global climate agreements — which President Trump exited on his first day in office — were kept.—Saul Elbein, The Hill, 14 May 2025 An estimated 75,000 people are afflicted with this disease in our country.—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2025 Even the indefatigable Benton slowed down in her later years, afflicted with a heart condition.—Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Apr. 2025 But in the midst of profound uncertainty and genuine pain and dislocation afflicting many, to convey confidence in addressing a highly volatile and fundamentally uncertain future would be inauthentic, and likely to be seen as such.—Paul Laudicina, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for afflict
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
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