Synonyms of afflicting

afflicting 1 of 2

adjective

as in painful

hard to accept or bear especially emotionally

the afflicting sight of so many earthquake victims was too much even for some hardened rescue workers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• painful
• harsh
• cruel
• terrible
• torturous
• horrible
• agonizing
• severe
• grievous
• bitter
• tormenting
• hurtful
• unacceptable
• awful
• unbearable
• excruciating
• galling
• harrowing
• dreadful
• intolerable
• bad
• dire
• miserable
• heartrending
• appalling
• acute
• insufferable
• vile
• wretched
• unendurable
• ghastly
• insupportable
• intense
• extreme
• rotten
• nasty
• unsupportable
• piercing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• gratifying
• pleasing
• sweet
• tolerable
• bearable
• endurable
• sustainable
• acceptable
• survivable
• supportable
• livable
• reasonable
• allowable
• sufferable

afflicting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of afflict

as in plaguing

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

• plaguing
• persecuting
• torturing
• besieging
• besetting
• tormenting
• attacking
• bedeviling
• bothering
• cursing
• excruciating
• troubling
• harrowing
• anguishing
• racking
• agonizing
• stinging
• striking
• assailing
• disturbing
• pursuing
• aggravating
• distressing
• oppressing
• harassing
• vexing
• annoying
• worrying
• hurting
• irritating
• overwhelming
• dogging
• exasperating
• hounding
• upsetting
• irking
• trying
• badgering
• bugging
• riding
• harrying
• pestering
• molesting
• agitating
• grieving
• perturbing
• victimizing
• nettling
• discomforting
• stressing
• disquieting
• riling
• galling
• griping
• smiting
• tyrannizing
• stabbing
• chafing
• piquing
• grating
• overpowering
• crushing
• smarting
• straining
• putting out
• pricking
• rasping
• getting
• peeving
• flustering
• paining
• wringing
• discomposing
• hagriding
• panging
• martyring

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• helping
• assisting
• aiding
• abetting
• relieving
• delivering
• releasing
• comforting
• consoling
• soothing
• contenting
• quieting
• reprieving
• succoring
• solacing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of afflicting

Verb

Cholera, a waterborne bacterial disease, has unleashed a perilous wave across southern Africa, with active outbreaks currently afflicting five countries in southern and central Africa. — John Drake, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026

Never mind the economic turbulence afflicting the country and the world, driven most recently by rising gas prices because of the war in Iran. — Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 May 2026

And so what was once out of bounds continued to move within the Pale, and a scourge went on afflicting politicians and groypers and, yes, comedians alike. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2026

It was most recently extended in August 2024 for 18 months by the Biden administration, which cited economic, security, political and health crises afflicting the Caribbean nation. — Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026

Gene-drive technology might be able to make wildlife less likely to spread diseases such as the one afflicting the rabbits, or malaria. — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 8 Apr. 2026

For Yuldosheva and her neighbors, finding their landlord is one of many problems afflicting their six-story building near Yankee Stadium. — ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026

When Pharaoh refused, God sent the 10 plagues to Egypt as punishment, destroying crops and livestock and afflicting the people, according to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. — Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 1 Apr. 2026

In some English translations the afflicting insects are lice. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026