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
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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
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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
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4
5
as in injury
something that causes loss or pain
cronyism and corruption are afflictions on the body politic
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of affliction
There was no dramatic incident, no hard foul that caused those afflictions.
—
Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
The annual allergy affliction happens when the male mountain ashe juniper trees get frisky looking for the female mountain ashe junipers and unleash all of their itchy, yellow pollen.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 5 Jan. 2026
Our time’s great spiritual affliction is longing without an object.
—Christian Wiman, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Everyone said their name along with their affliction.
—Literary Hub, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for affliction
Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
The annual allergy affliction happens when the male mountain ashe juniper trees get frisky looking for the female mountain ashe junipers and unleash all of their itchy, yellow pollen.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 5 Jan. 2026
Our time’s great spiritual affliction is longing without an object.
—Christian Wiman, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Everyone said their name along with their affliction.
—Literary Hub, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for affliction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affliction
Noun
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Other geese that were still alive were experiencing distress, Halter said.—
Joe Brandt,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
This bleeds into how damages are assessed in the aftermath of an accident, as everything from medical bills to lost wages and emotional distress are critical element that will be legally considered.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Buckley navigates the film in elemental sorrow without sentimentality, delivering what many consider the performance of the year, and undoubtedly her career so far.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
11 Feb. 2026
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Now, their families are turning sorrow into service.—
Ashley Paul,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The tabloids go occult, explaining death after death through the logic of the Kennedy curse.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
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We were drawn to the emotional weight of estranged siblings and the idea of a curse that’s passed down, not just through folklore, but through family trauma.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Coach Brad Willis’ team responded to the setback by shaking off the loss plus the demons of a first-round exit in Division 1 last season.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
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Mikaela Shiffrin can now leave her Olympics demons behind.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Schwesinger also battled through an ankle injury this season, playing 16 of 17 games for Kevin Stefanski’s club.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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After several years of gradual development amid shifting roles and a major shoulder injury, Dosunmu cemented himself as an elite two-way player this season.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Laocoön and His Sons, an exquisite marble sculpture of the legendary Trojan priest writhing in agony as he’s attacked by sea-serpents, was first unearthed in the early sixteenth-century, the only missing piece his right arm.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
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Steven McDonald, a fallen hero of the department who channeled the agony of three devastating gunshot wounds into an enduring message of peace and forgiveness.—
Barry Williams,
New York Daily News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Even now, more than 40 years later, the lasting image of her career is of Decker laying on the track in anguish and tears after colliding with Zola Budd in the 1984 Olympic 3,000-meter run.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
14 Feb. 2026
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Néfissa cries loudly and with anguish about her son, but refuses to acknowledge his truth.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Padres’ latest addition to the starting rotation competition is an old nemesis who has fallen on hard times.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
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Some American viewers were pulled into it by a boring—and slightly embarrassing—poster of Harrison Ford, smirking in a suit, while a loyal Melanie Griffith clings to his shoulder and Sigourney Weaver, as befits her role of nemesis, gives a wicked smile.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Affliction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affliction. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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