afflicted 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of afflictednext
as in troubled

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afflicted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of afflict
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of afflicted
Adjective
Some of the bikers pouring into the area are coming from distant states far more afflicted. — CBS News, 10 Aug. 2020
Verb
Repeat this process once the soil has dried again, until affected plants are no longer afflicted with pests. — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 1 Aug. 2026 Blending horror with comedy, the Apple TV show takes place in a fictitious New England island town afflicted by a centuries-old curse that brings about supernatural evils. — Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 31 July 2026 In Seattle, by contrast, efforts to reduce public drug use force afflicted neighborhoods to pay a high price. — Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 Lotus seems to have ironed out the hesitancy that previously afflicted the dual-clutch ’box, particularly when parking. — Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 22 July 2026 Forty-nine of the afflicted have been hospitalized; of those, thirty-four have gone home. — News Desk, Artforum, 15 July 2026 Jonestown afflicted Naipaul’s vision, his way of deciphering not just political manias but the dreariness of urban life, the perpetual doom of the nuclear-arms race. — Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 14 July 2026 In the second half of the campaign, he was afflicted by bursitis. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 12 July 2026 The afflicted slowly lose their ability to walk, talk, eat, dress, write, swallow and, eventually, breathe. — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afflicted
  1. troubled
  2. plagued
  3. disabled
  4. persecuted
  5. feeble
  6. tortured
  7. infirm
  8. besieged
Adjective
  • Both scandals spurred reforms by state lawmakers that nevertheless failed to streamline a complex disciplinary process and left gaps for troubled businesses to continue operating.
    — Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Jesus showed that physical problems, troubled relationships, financial needs, and even personal wilderness experiences can be resolved by holding thought to Mind’s all-powerful, entirely good reality.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of troubled
Verb
  • Committee delays The county formed a committee, the Advisory Meeting on Public School Capacity, that was supposed to figure out how to fix the problem, but it's been plagued by delays filling its seats and only met for the first time last month.
    — Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • His stint with the Bills was plagued by injuries and a Dallas domestic violence case that led to a four-game suspension.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of plagued
Adjective
  • And the concept, in his eyes, isn’t exclusive to the relationship between disabled people and their aides.
    — Selome Hailu, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026
  • That said, some folks, like the local nurse (Amanda Davis), agree to come out to the encampment and treat the residents, many of whom are physically disabled, suffer from mental disorders or are war veterans probably still in the throes of PTSD.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of disabled
Verb
  • Although the two programs similarly target humanitarian concerns, being a TPS holder does not guarantee asylum, which requires that applicants prove they’ve been persecuted on specific grounds.
    — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Aug. 2026
  • In The Bacchae, Dionysus becomes violent only because his existence has been denied and his followers persecuted, and his maenads similarly become destructive only when pursued.
    — Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 31 July 2026
Definition of persecuted
Adjective
  • Instead of using a mirror to gather starlight, MOTHRA has many telephoto lenses, like those on a camera, which can capture faintly glowing wisps of gas and other feeble emanations across a wider field of view.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026
  • By an act of war, committed with the participation of a diplomatic representative of the United States and without authority of Congress, the Government of a feeble but friendly and confiding people has been overthrown.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of feeble
Verb
  • He was brutally tortured before being assigned his painting duties.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Other commissions include a monument to honor Native voices, a sculpture of gospel singer and Civil Rights activist Mahalia Jackson, and a site to recognize the survivors who were tortured by the Chicago Police Department during the 1970s-1990s.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of tortured
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
  • 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
Definition of infirm
Verb
  • The second was navigating a WNBA game with a lineup besieged by injury.
    — James Boyd, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • An American’s home is among those besieged by Israeli settlers.
    — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of besieged

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Afflicted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afflicted. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on afflicted

Nglish: Translation of afflicted for Spanish Speakers

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