as in plagued
to cause persistent suffering to
the South was afflicted by a severe drought he's been afflicted by nightmares ever since the accident
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in troubled
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Recent Examples of afflicted
David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 12 June 2022
For nearly five years, the lingering hope of the pundit class (and, notably, the Biden campaign) was that the Trump fever would eventually burn itself out and those so afflicted would awake from its throes eager to be normal again.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 6 Jan. 2022
Regarding Cuba now, there seems to be an additional Russian objective: weakening U.S. and Canadian intelligence on the island by forcing the evacuation of afflicted spies and diplomatic personnel.
—Néstor T. Carbonell, National Review, 12 Apr. 2021
Some of the bikers pouring into the area are coming from distant states far more afflicted.
—CBS News, 10 Aug. 2020
Kroger officials said McMullen had planned to remove his mask for the event, which was not attended by Pence's afflicted press secretary Katie Miller who stayed in Washington.
—Alexander Coolidge, Cincinnati.com, 11 May 2020
Symptoms of the illness are similar to pneumonia, although videos have been posted that purportedly show afflicted people collapsing on the street, bleeding from their mouths, and being treated by doctors wearing hazmat suits.
—Zachary Halaschak, Washington Examiner, 25 Jan. 2020
Mealy bugs can be a real problem, not just for the afflicted plant but for neighboring, healthy houseplants.
—Adrian Higgins, Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2019
Making a compelling financial case to fight climate change and to help the most afflicted demands a rigorous accounting of its effects.
—Umair Irfan, Vox, 9 Oct. 2018
Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
The World Health Organization states that in 2021 alone, nearly 57 million people were afflicted with some form of dementia.
—Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
The most vulnerable — starving children, people afflicted with leprosy, and pregnant women without the remotest possibility of healthcare — always needed tending to; that colonial reality was intact.
—Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2025
Fortunately for the Red Sox, their eternal rivals were afflicted with a similar malady.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
One in four would be afflicted with the disease.
—Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
June was unusually warm, and a major heatwave afflicted nearly a third of the population late in the month, and July offered little relief.
—Chris Mooney, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2025
In 1982, most of the crew members on a flight from Lisbon to Boston were afflicted with stomach pains and cramps after indulging in the same dessert during the flight.
—Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2025
The vast county stretches from the city of Española, 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Santa Fe, to the Colorado state line and has long been afflicted by opioid use and high drug-overdose death rates, with homeless encampments emerging in recent years in more populated areas.
—Nino Paoli, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
The afflicted man instead went to a Dawson hospital, where he was fed only raw potatoes and charged $10 a day for the privilege.
—David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 12 June 2022
For nearly five years, the lingering hope of the pundit class (and, notably, the Biden campaign) was that the Trump fever would eventually burn itself out and those so afflicted would awake from its throes eager to be normal again.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 6 Jan. 2022
Regarding Cuba now, there seems to be an additional Russian objective: weakening U.S. and Canadian intelligence on the island by forcing the evacuation of afflicted spies and diplomatic personnel.
—Néstor T. Carbonell, National Review, 12 Apr. 2021
Some of the bikers pouring into the area are coming from distant states far more afflicted.
—CBS News, 10 Aug. 2020
Kroger officials said McMullen had planned to remove his mask for the event, which was not attended by Pence's afflicted press secretary Katie Miller who stayed in Washington.
—Alexander Coolidge, Cincinnati.com, 11 May 2020
Symptoms of the illness are similar to pneumonia, although videos have been posted that purportedly show afflicted people collapsing on the street, bleeding from their mouths, and being treated by doctors wearing hazmat suits.
—Zachary Halaschak, Washington Examiner, 25 Jan. 2020
Mealy bugs can be a real problem, not just for the afflicted plant but for neighboring, healthy houseplants.
—Adrian Higgins, Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2019
Making a compelling financial case to fight climate change and to help the most afflicted demands a rigorous accounting of its effects.
—Umair Irfan, Vox, 9 Oct. 2018
Adjective
But Thomas was afflicted by health troubles on the 26-56 Nets last year.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
The World Health Organization states that in 2021 alone, nearly 57 million people were afflicted with some form of dementia.
—Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
The most vulnerable — starving children, people afflicted with leprosy, and pregnant women without the remotest possibility of healthcare — always needed tending to; that colonial reality was intact.
—Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2025
Fortunately for the Red Sox, their eternal rivals were afflicted with a similar malady.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
One in four would be afflicted with the disease.
—Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
June was unusually warm, and a major heatwave afflicted nearly a third of the population late in the month, and July offered little relief.
—Chris Mooney, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2025
In 1982, most of the crew members on a flight from Lisbon to Boston were afflicted with stomach pains and cramps after indulging in the same dessert during the flight.
—Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2025
The vast county stretches from the city of Española, 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Santa Fe, to the Colorado state line and has long been afflicted by opioid use and high drug-overdose death rates, with homeless encampments emerging in recent years in more populated areas.
—Nino Paoli, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afflicted
Verb
-
This particular finding presents a more nuanced framing of gun violence and challenges dominant narratives about Chicago’s violence that have plagued the city’s reputation for decades.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The study also pinpointed a bacterium that plagued these colossal ice age creatures.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Of course, other corporations have been down a similarly troubled road in recent years.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The filing is known in Italy as a CNC, and offers troubled companies the time and space to restructure, and chart a path forward.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
His deportation to El Salvador violated a 2019 court order that protected him from being deported to his home country because of concerns that he’d be persecuted by violent gangs.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
25 Aug. 2025
-
Criminals are to be persecuted.—
Tommy Trenchard,
NPR,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Emily Brontë appears in every way indifferent to the need for love and companionship that tortured the lives of her sisters.—
Emily Temple
September 5,
Literary Hub,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Several women were tortured and gang raped.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Jeanette Dalton, who taught emotionally-disabled students at PCES for 35 years, echoed Nusbaum’s sentiment.—
IndyStar,
IndyStar,
3 Sep. 2025
-
These payments apply to low-income and disabled Americans.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Landslide in western Sudan kills at least 1,000 A landslide in western Sudan killed at least 1,000 people, intensifying hardship in a country besieged by years of civil war.—
Tasneem Nashrulla,
semafor.com,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Validated Insights To even the most casual observer, these must feel like belligerent times in higher education – surrounded by fires, besieged, and under crushing market pressures all at once.—
Derek Newton,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The feeble report all but confirms a Fed interest rate cut later this month and raises at least the possibility of a half point – rather than a typical quarter point - reduction, Saunders said.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The Valkyries have sold out each of their 18 home games this season, 18,064 packing out Chase Center regardless of how mighty or feeble the opposition is.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
In September, late night TV turns 71, ancient by television standards and, until recently, not infirm — one of American pop culture’s most durable inventions and exports.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Aug. 2025
-
The public and police are encouraged to check on the elderly and infirm.—
Cory Franklin,
Chicago Tribune,
13 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Afflicted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afflicted. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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