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
Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano, The Spruce, 5 Apr. 2026
In the months following surgery, many women are afflicted by post-mastectomy pain syndrome, or PMPS, which spans from uncomfortable to disabling and can last years.
—Brett Kelman, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
However, they are widely considered to be highly capable, especially for coalition warfare, despite some technical issues that have afflicted them in their first years of service.
—Pan Pylas, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Our mission is to feed the hungry, comfort the afflicted and offer hope to those in need, including the LGBTQ community.
—Donna Lamb, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Moody’s injury is one of the most severe of a series that has afflicted the Warriors this season, who also saw Jimmy Butler go down with a season-ending ACL tear in January.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2026
The disease afflicted homosexuals, Haitians, haemophiliacs and heroin addicts.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
In New Zealand, Māori men are famously afflicted — by their eighties, nearly half may have (or have had) gout.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
Cabbages are afflicted by cabbage webworms, cabbage white moths, cabbage loopers, and other worms.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026
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
It is usually only afflicted by slugs, which can be easily managed, or crown rot due to overwatering.
—Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano, The Spruce, 5 Apr. 2026
In the months following surgery, many women are afflicted by post-mastectomy pain syndrome, or PMPS, which spans from uncomfortable to disabling and can last years.
—Brett Kelman, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
However, they are widely considered to be highly capable, especially for coalition warfare, despite some technical issues that have afflicted them in their first years of service.
—Pan Pylas, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Our mission is to feed the hungry, comfort the afflicted and offer hope to those in need, including the LGBTQ community.
—Donna Lamb, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Moody’s injury is one of the most severe of a series that has afflicted the Warriors this season, who also saw Jimmy Butler go down with a season-ending ACL tear in January.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2026
The disease afflicted homosexuals, Haitians, haemophiliacs and heroin addicts.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
In New Zealand, Māori men are famously afflicted — by their eighties, nearly half may have (or have had) gout.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
Cabbages are afflicted by cabbage webworms, cabbage white moths, cabbage loopers, and other worms.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afflicted
Adjective
-
On Saturday, the troubled pop star uploaded a video dancing in a sheer black bodysuit while covering her breasts with her hands.—
Kathleen Perricone,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
-
With Iceland’s titular black sands serving as the backdrop, the first season of the show followed Anita, a troubled police officer played by Aldis Amah Hamilton (The Valhalla Murders) who also co-writes the series.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
East Harlem has long been plagued by affordability issues.—
Andrew Ramos,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
But the Cubs’ offensive woes plagued them more than a misthrow from their reliever.—
Andy Martinez,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Trump implemented a program offering migration and asylum to white Afrikaners who feel persecuted in South Africa.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
For years, deportations could be indefinitely delayed if an immigrant successfully argued that they’d be tortured or persecuted if they were returned home.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
For instance, Medicare, which is the insurance program for older adults 65 and older in the United States and some disabled people is starting to negotiate the price of drugs for their populations.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Joglar Burrowes, who is disabled, said thousands of families had been waiting a long time for the solar systems and shouldn’t be forgotten.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Two others who authorities say have tortured their children await their courtroom fates after being hit with dozens of abuse counts.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Schiller was tortured endlessly.—
Troy Roberts,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
For Bravo, race has always been that lingering chink in its armor — and the latest burgeoning Summer House drama threatens to continue to chip away at the network’s feeble defense against claims of racial insensitivity.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
-
After that provocative setup, Dream Scenario unfortunately devolved into a feeble, simplistic cancel-culture satire.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In a similar vein, the Business section featured an article on our inequitable national tax structure, which enables the wealthy to grow their wealth while most people, besieged by income taxes and rising property taxes, struggle.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
10 Apr. 2026
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Early on, the Biden team had been besieged with desperate pleas to ship more of the then scarce vaccine.—
David Blumenthal,
STAT,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Earlier this month, Nancy Guthrie, the elderly and infirm mother of Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, was violently taken from her home in Tucson, Arizona.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Feb. 2026
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The four Democratic members of the JBC, which controls the state budget, asked with growing consternation why the Department of Corrections hadn’t brought them a plan to address overcrowding, to step up releases of old and infirm inmates, or to improve its own shortcomings.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Afflicted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afflicted. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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