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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of afflicting
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afflicting
Adjective
-
The core characters Each character came into their own during the series, sometimes in emotionally painful ways.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
14 June 2026
-
Hidden inside those numbers is a long and painful history.—
Ryan Lenora Brown,
NPR,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
While Rusi remains on the streets pending trial, Taghavi suggests the saga could signify an overarching problem plaguing local and state authorities regarding repeat offenders being released into communities as officials remain in the dark.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
10 Dec. 2025
-
Officials also highlighted an intensified effort to curb the rodent population plaguing areas around the city.—
Aaron Parseghian,
CBS News,
9 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Ikutiminu, who will attend UC Irvine in the fall, even spoke with musicians about how to create a sound that would be less harsh than the vuvuzela.—
Kenny Choi,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
-
Without toxic acids Tripathi’s breakthrough eliminates the harsh chemicals.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Biden weaponized Law Enforcement against his political opponent, while also persecuting many other innocent people.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
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Behind the story One of the really big stories on my beat covering China for the last decade has been Beijing's intensive ramp-up in detaining and persecuting Uyghurs, a primarily Muslim ethnic minority.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
But nothing would have prepared him for this — the death of a beloved first-team player, and in such arbitrary, cruel circumstances.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
6 July 2025
-
They were joined by actors playing the contestants, who lurched along wearing expressions of exaggerated horror, as though the cruel stakes of the game had just been revealed to them.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Afflicting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afflicting. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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