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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
5
as in injury
something that causes loss or pain
cronyism and corruption are afflictions on the body politic
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of affliction
Fans took this to mean that Muniz was suffering from a serious health affliction — but the actor now insists that people have it all wrong.
—
Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
But those maladies have nothing against the ones presented in this list—six afflictions that many of us have come to know all too well.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
The internet has come up with several remedies for this particular affliction.
—Noel Cymone Walker, StyleCaster, 1 Apr. 2026
Deprived of the Sun, Australians acquire afflictions more commonly associated with northern Scandinavia, like vitamin D deficiencies and seasonal affective disorder, only all year-round.
—Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for affliction
Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
But those maladies have nothing against the ones presented in this list—six afflictions that many of us have come to know all too well.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
The internet has come up with several remedies for this particular affliction.
—Noel Cymone Walker, StyleCaster, 1 Apr. 2026
Deprived of the Sun, Australians acquire afflictions more commonly associated with northern Scandinavia, like vitamin D deficiencies and seasonal affective disorder, only all year-round.
—Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for affliction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affliction
Noun
-
Is rapid weight gain the cause of the patient’s distress?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Developer John Dewberry bought the building out of distress in 2010 for $36 million.—
Savannah Sicurella,
AJC.com,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Last words are last words, despite the passage of time, conveying similar messages of sorrow, love, anger, camaraderie, defiance, hope and guilt.—
Erik Ortiz,
NBC news,
20 May 2026
-
This attack has resulted in trauma, sorrow and pain for thousands across the city.—
Sarah Hassaine,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
As words have incantatory power to shift elements of fate, as well as matters of the heart, this project calls forward questions around an alleged family curse from Nagasaki and the writing process as its own counter-spell.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
Press conferences can be a blessing and a curse for football managers.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
His Joe is a real cynic, with demons in his closet; his rejoinders come from a tough place.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
21 May 2026
-
He is pursued by Miss Duan (Shu Qi), a rival demon hunter who dispatches them the old-fashioned way—by killing them.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
The 49ers were limited by a plethora of injuries in those games, but the Seahawks had an elite defense, regardless.—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
Following Parsons’ injury, the Packers lost five consective games to end their season.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
There’s a roughly 50-50 shot at survival, and the unlucky half will die in agony, bleeding profusely as their organs begin to fail.—
Neil Vora,
Time,
22 May 2026
-
The blowout loss would’ve been enough agony, but there were injuries to match the insult.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Annah’s resulting anguish is so uncomfortable for the others, that Ibrahim and Jacques practically come to blows.—
Alissa Simon,
Variety,
16 May 2026
-
Yet masculinism also functions as a perpetual-motion machine of grievance, an inarticulate howl of anguish at the status quo—whatever that currently is.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
One day, the crew was filming a scene at one of Christie’s fashion shows, where the Velvet Gang confronts its nemesis.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
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Various nemeses and side characters enter the fray, from Jim’s archenemy (and also Insta-famous) Pavel to the scally with a sneaker-sniffing fetish who guides Jim and Lucien to their next destination.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Affliction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affliction. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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