Synonyms of affliction

affliction

noun

ə-ˈflik-shən 

1

as in distress

a state of great suffering of body or mind

she listened with deep affliction as her daughter told her about the latest trouble she was in

Synonyms & Similar Words

• distress
• agony
• misery
• pain
• anguish
• discomfort
• torment
• tribulation
• torture
• woe
• sorrow
• excruciation
• hurt
• travail
• pang
• sadness
• hardship
• rack
• difficulty
• strait(s)
• heartbreak
• trouble
• danger
• unhappiness
• emergency
• heartache
• ache
• crucible
• cross
• joylessness
• trial
• soreness
• jeopardy
• stitch
• twinge
• pinch
• rigor
• asperity
• throe
• smarting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• comfort
• relief
• consolation
• solace
• alleviation
• ease
• security
• peace
• assuagement
• well-being

2

as in sorrow

deep sadness especially for the loss of someone or something loved

felt such great affliction over the destruction of the beautiful old home

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sorrow
• anguish
• grief
• heartbreak
• agony
• pain
• heartache
• suffering
• woe
• guilt
• sorrowfulness
• distress
• misery
• dolor
• melancholy
• depression
• remorse
• despair
• torment
• shame
• sorriness
• oppression
• regret
• unhappiness
• wretchedness
• dejection
• dolefulness
• gloom
• blues
• gloominess
• dreariness
• melancholia
• despondency
• miserableness
• joylessness
• heartsickness
• glumness
• desolation
• contrition
• dumps
• doldrums
• forlornness
• downheartedness
• despondence
• desolateness
• rue
• self-reproach
• woefulness
• disconsolateness
• blue devils
• self-pity
• dispiritedness
• mopes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• joy
• pleasure
• cheerfulness
• ecstasy
• happiness
• rapture
• delight
• exultation
• bliss
• glee
• elation
• gladness
• exuberance
• blessedness
• euphoria
• felicity
• joyousness
• joyfulness
• jubilation
• mirth
• exhilaration
• cheeriness
• cheer
• gayety
• humor
• merriment
• gayness
• gaiety
• merrymaking
• optimism
• jollity
• joviality
• blissfulness
• gleefulness
• lightheartedness
• enjoyment
• hopefulness
• elatedness
• mirthfulness
• rapturousness
• gladsomeness
• content
• contentment
• sunniness
• contentedness

3

as in curse

a source of harm or misfortune

alcohol has been his affliction ever since he took his first drink at the age of 12

Synonyms & Similar Words

• curse
• nemesis
• bane
• threat
• scourge
• menace
• danger
• hazard
• risk
• peril
• trouble
• jinx
• hex
• pitfall
• snag
• catch
• hoodoo
• booby trap

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• benefit
• assistance
• relief
• support
• aid
• blessing
• advantage
• gift
• good
• help
• comfort
• felicity
• windfall
• boon
• joy
• godsend
• pleasure
• manna
• protection
• delight
• safety
• consolation
• security
• defense
• solace
• shield
• armor
• guard
• safeguard

4

as in demon

a source of persistent emotional distress

suffered from afflictions that only a professional therapist could deal with

Synonyms & Similar Words

• demon
• torment
• terror
• daemon
• hang-up
• bête noire
• bogy
• bogie
• bugaboo
• bugbear
• ogre
• bogey
• hobgoblin

5

as in injury

something that causes loss or pain

cronyism and corruption are afflictions on the body politic

Synonyms & Similar Words

• injury
• harm
• damage
• detriment
• hurt
• injustice
• disability
• crippling
• indignity
• offence
• impairment
• insult
• disfigurement
• affront
• mayhem
• mutilation
• outrage
• lesion
• disservice
• wound
• disablement
• swelling
• wrong
• dart
• beating
• abrasion
• rupture
• offense
• defacement
• strain
• contusion
• scar
• bruise
• burn
• laceration
• scald
• gash
• scratch
• concussion
• sear
• scathe
• chafe
• boo-boo
• bump
• scrape
• cut

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recovery
• healing
• remedy
• cure
• fix

Examples of affliction in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Then the affliction spreads, with shocking speed, to humans. —Judy Berman, TIME, 31 July 2024

Though dandruff can often feel like an embarrassing affliction, there are other equally good reasons for wanting to find a cure: itching, irritation, redness, and general discomfort, as well as the aforementioned flakes tumbling onto your clothing, are just a few. —Angela Law, refinery29.com, 3 July 2024

The rubies included in the new tiara—all 96 of them—were a wedding gift from the people of Burma, where local tradition suggests that the healing properties of the jewels can protect the wearer from 96 health afflictions. —Isaac Bickerstaff, Glamour, 26 June 2024

Boredom has been recommended as a salve for many of my common afflictions: burnout, stress, overwhelm, and low self-esteem. —L'oréal Blackett, refinery29.com, 4 Jan. 2024