affliction

1 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 of affliction distress, agony, anguish, excruciation, hurt, misery, pain, rack, strait(s), torment, torture, travail, tribulation, woeWords Related to affliction discomfort; cross, crucible, trial; heartache, heartbreak, joylessness, sadness, sorrow, unhappiness; emergency, pinch; asperity, difficulty, hardship, rigor; ache, pang, smarting, soreness, stitch, throe, twinge; danger, jeopardy, troubleNear Antonyms of affliction comfort, consolation, solace; alleviation, assuagement, ease, relief; peace, security; well-being

2 deep sadness especially for the loss of someone or something loved felt such great affliction over the destruction of the beautiful old home Synonyms of affliction sorrow, anguish, dolefulness, dolor, grief, heartache, heartbreak, sorriness, woeWords Related to affliction agony, distress, pain, suffering, torment; blue devils, blues, dejection, depression, desolateness, desolation, despair, despondence, despondency, disconsolateness, dispiritedness, distress, doldrums, downheartedness, dreariness, dumps, forlornness, gloom, gloominess, glumness, heartsickness, joylessness, melancholy, miserableness, misery, mopes, oppression, sorrowfulness, unhappiness, woefulness, wretchedness; contrition, guilt, regret, remorse, rue, self-reproach, shame; melancholia, self-pityNear Antonyms of affliction gaiety (also gayety), gayness, humor, jollity, joviality, lightheartedness, merriment, merrymaking, mirth, mirthfulness; hopefulness, optimism, sunniness; enjoyment; content, contentedness, contentmentAntonyms of affliction blessedness, bliss, blissfulness, cheer, cheerfulness, cheeriness, delight, ecstasy, elatedness, elation, euphoria, exhilaration, exuberance, exultation, felicity, gladness, gladsomeness, glee, gleefulness, happiness, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, jubilation, pleasure, rapture, rapturousness

3 a source of harm or misfortune alcohol has been his affliction ever since he took his first drink at the age of 12 Synonyms of affliction bane, curse, nemesis, scourgeWords Related to affliction hex, hoodoo, jinx; danger, hazard, menace, peril, risk, threat, trouble; booby trap, catch, pitfall, snagNear Antonyms of affliction advantage, aid, assistance, gift, help, relief, support; comfort, consolation, solace; delight, joy, pleasure; armor, defense, guard, protection, safeguard, safety, security, shieldAntonyms of affliction benefit, blessing, boon, felicity, godsend, good, manna, windfall

4 a source of persistent emotional distress suffered from afflictions that only a professional therapist could deal with Synonyms of affliction demon, hang-up, terror, tormentWords Related to affliction bête noire, bogey (also bogie or bogy), bugaboo, bugbear, hobgoblin, ogre

5 something that causes loss or pain cronyism and corruption are afflictions on the body politic Synonyms of affliction injury, damage, detriment, harm, hurtWords Related to affliction disservice, injustice, outrage, wrong; affront, dart, indignity, insult, offense (or offence); beating, crippling, mayhem, mutilation; defacement, disability, disablement, disfigurement, impairment; lesion; rupture, strain; abrasion, chafe, scrape, scratch; boo-boo, bruise, contusion, swelling, wound; bump, concussion; cut, gash, laceration; burn, scald, scar, scathe, searNear Antonyms of affliction healing, recovery; cure, fix, remedy