affliction

noun

af·​flic·​tion ə-ˈflik-shən 

1

: a cause of persistent pain or distress

a mysterious affliction

2

: great suffering

felt empathy with their affliction

3

: the state of being afflicted by something that causes suffering

her affliction with polio

Synonyms

• distress
• agony
• misery
• pain
• anguish
• discomfort

Examples of affliction in a Sentence

She lost her sight and is now learning to live with her affliction.

He died from a mysterious affliction.

Recent Examples on the Web

Neither the dangerously rampant mental health afflictions among military folk nor the dehumanization and exploitation of undocumented people have gone unexplored in American cinema. —Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025

The affliction is becoming more common. —William Baldwin, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025

Some of us have both of these afflictions, particularly beyond the age of 40-to-50. —Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 19 Aug. 2025

While untreated mental afflictions can now be addressed under state law, the same should be extended to folks suffering from addiction. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English affliccioun "misery, distress, self-inflicted pain," borrowed from Anglo-French afflicion, borrowed from Late Latin afflīctiōn-, afflīctiō, from Latin afflīgere "to afflict" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for affliction

• addiction
• constriction
• conviction
• depiction
• eviction
• infliction
• nonfiction
• prediction
• restriction
• antifriction
• benediction
• contradiction

Kids Definition

affliction

noun

af·​flic·​tion ə-ˈflik-shən 

1

: the state of being afflicted

2

: something that causes pain or unhappiness