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
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
Music therapy is a clinical discipline that uses sound, instruments and lyrics to help patients of all ages with a variety of afflictions, from physical disabilities to emotional and mental health concerns.
—
Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2024
Whoever moves into the White House in January would do well to remember that these thorny and deeply rooted afflictions won’t be solved through accords orchestrated by an outside power.
—Frederic Wehrey, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2024
The French philosopher Simone Weil was a soul at odds with herself and with a world of affliction.
—Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2024
This is a fitness affliction shaped by my genetics, not a reflection of my laziness and hate of stretching.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 14 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for affliction 
Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2024
Whoever moves into the White House in January would do well to remember that these thorny and deeply rooted afflictions won’t be solved through accords orchestrated by an outside power.
—Frederic Wehrey, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2024
The French philosopher Simone Weil was a soul at odds with herself and with a world of affliction.
—Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2024
This is a fitness affliction shaped by my genetics, not a reflection of my laziness and hate of stretching.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 14 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for affliction
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'affliction.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near affliction
Cite this Entry
“Affliction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affliction. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
affliction
noun
af·flic·tion
ə-ˈflik-shən
1
: the state of being afflicted
2
: something that causes pain or unhappiness
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