as in troubled
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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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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
Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 28 Oct. 2025
The Lakers were down LeBron James, afflicted by nerve pain.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
The narrative takes a darker turn when a family member becomes supernaturally afflicted after witnessing a death, prompting a desperate search for spiritual intervention.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025
As a result, Ecuador has avoided the extraordinary inflation that has afflicted so many nations in South America, including Argentina.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
However, Romo was seemingly afflicted with a malady that Prescott cannot inoculate himself against.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
While there is no cure for West Nile virus, health officials said, supportive care in hospitals can help people afflicted with severe neuroinvasive symptoms.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Subsequent names didn't stick either, despite cases of this unusual form of diabetes continuing to surface, especially in areas afflicted with malnutrition.
—Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 29 Sep. 2025
Just look at poverty, violence and health and housing inequities that have long afflicted Fairhill and West Kensington, two adjacent and heavily Puerto Rican neighborhoods in North Philadelphia.
—Héctor M. Varela Rios, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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
Verb
Wars and insurrections have afflicted other parts of the Middle East, but Baghdad—a city whose name was once synonymous with suicide bombings and sectarian murder—has been spared.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 28 Oct. 2025
The Lakers were down LeBron James, afflicted by nerve pain.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
The narrative takes a darker turn when a family member becomes supernaturally afflicted after witnessing a death, prompting a desperate search for spiritual intervention.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025
As a result, Ecuador has avoided the extraordinary inflation that has afflicted so many nations in South America, including Argentina.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
However, Romo was seemingly afflicted with a malady that Prescott cannot inoculate himself against.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
While there is no cure for West Nile virus, health officials said, supportive care in hospitals can help people afflicted with severe neuroinvasive symptoms.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Subsequent names didn't stick either, despite cases of this unusual form of diabetes continuing to surface, especially in areas afflicted with malnutrition.
—Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 29 Sep. 2025
Just look at poverty, violence and health and housing inequities that have long afflicted Fairhill and West Kensington, two adjacent and heavily Puerto Rican neighborhoods in North Philadelphia.
—Héctor M. Varela Rios, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afflicted
Adjective
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At first glance, Grace resembles the type of mothers who have become a dominant cinematic presence in recent years—women portrayed as troubled about being a caregiver.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The film follows seventeen-year-old Katie Thompson, a troubled teen spiralling after the tragic death of her younger brother – a loss that has left her not only emotionally scarred but also cursed with a disturbing ability to glimpse the world beyond the living.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The idea that a leak of any kind must be coming from one of the cast members is something that has plagued many a Housewives season.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
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Daylilies are sometimes plagued by pests like thrips, slugs, aphids, Japanese beetles, and spider mites.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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No group should ever be persecuted for practicing their religion.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
5 Nov. 2025
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The apology came after a sustained campaign by historians and activists who argued that the victims were persecuted for being poor, vulnerable, or simply different.—
James Frater,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The show fares better with the Irvine clan, which in addition to Milo, Marissa and Peter includes Peter’s sister, Lia (Abby Elliott), a recovering drug addict, and their brother, Brian (Daniel Monks), a disabled day trader.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Nov. 2025
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Many recipients are elderly, disabled, or children, groups unable to participate in the workforce.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Combined with the numbers injured, detained or tortured, at least one percent of the Strip’s population suffered first-hand from Israeli violence during the first occupation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Maloyan served as Archbishop of Mardin from 1911 to 1915 and was tortured and killed after refusing to convert to Islam.—
Jenni Fink,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Their calculations show that a feeble interaction between the inflaton field and elementary particles called gluons would be sufficient to warm up inflation.—
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
27 Oct. 2025
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Without getting into spoilers, her one-and-done appearance in Episode 5 presents the perfect opportunity for the more-than-capable Meester to match wits with Bell’s judgmental Joanna, only to strand the actor with boring, obvious jokes and saddle her with a feeble resolution.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Meanwhile, Earth itself is suddenly besieged by an alien invasion.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
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For more than a year, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has besieged El Fasher, its final major barrier to controlling Darfur.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In June, because of Austen’s worsening condition and a bureaucratic glitch, plans were being set in motion to move her to Welfare Island, then a location of public institutions for the aged and infirm.—
Margaret Hetherman,
NBC news,
19 Oct. 2025
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The victim of the offense was a person with a disability and the defendant knew or should have known that the victim was a person with a disability or mentally or physically infirm.—
IndyStar,
IndyStar,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Afflicted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afflicted. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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