1
as in distresses
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in curses
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
3
as in demons
a source of persistent emotional distress
suffered from afflictions that only a professional therapist could deal with
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in injuries
something that causes loss or pain
cronyism and corruption are afflictions on the body politic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of afflictions
They were considered to have strange physical afflictions or weak mental attitudes, and some people with endocrine diseases were even dismissed as ‘freaks’ and heckled in circuses or locked away in institutions.
—
Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
Nearly 90 percent of respondents reported injuries or illness on the job — afflictions that spanned heat stroke to exposure to pesticides.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 4 May 2026
Even as Steph Curry missed two months with persistent knee soreness and swelling, as Moses Moody and Jimmy Butler were lost for the year with knee injuries, as the team trotted out 41 different starting lineups as other members of the supporting cast dealt with various afflictions.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 12 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
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
Chibale knew that this wasn't the case in Africa, a continent that struggles with its own afflictions, alongside limited funding, infrastructure and technical know-how.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 22 Mar. 2026
None of these afflictions are exclusive to older moms, but age is a big factor in how serious both are.
—Heather Grossmann, Parents, 11 Mar. 2026
And then, these afflictions can lead to a life-or-death struggle.
—Jayme Moye, Outside, 5 Mar. 2026
Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
Nearly 90 percent of respondents reported injuries or illness on the job — afflictions that spanned heat stroke to exposure to pesticides.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 4 May 2026
Even as Steph Curry missed two months with persistent knee soreness and swelling, as Moses Moody and Jimmy Butler were lost for the year with knee injuries, as the team trotted out 41 different starting lineups as other members of the supporting cast dealt with various afflictions.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 12 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
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
Chibale knew that this wasn't the case in Africa, a continent that struggles with its own afflictions, alongside limited funding, infrastructure and technical know-how.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 22 Mar. 2026
None of these afflictions are exclusive to older moms, but age is a big factor in how serious both are.
—Heather Grossmann, Parents, 11 Mar. 2026
And then, these afflictions can lead to a life-or-death struggle.
—Jayme Moye, Outside, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afflictions
Noun
-
However, while yellow journalism often resulted in articles that were exaggerated or misleading, TMZ usually takes pains to be rigorous and accurate in its reporting.—
Angelica Kalika,
The Conversation,
2 June 2026
-
Acer was also at pains to point out the large performance differential between the RTX 5070 Ti and the vanilla RTX 5070, which sounds similar.—
John Burek,
PC Magazine,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Rather than a nod of respect, Spurs fans—myself now sheepishly included—are finding their favorite tees and caps drawing chirps, sneers, and curses.—
Joan Kennedy,
Vogue,
10 June 2026
-
Chants laced with curses echo through Madison Square Garden.—
Albert Samaha,
Washington Post,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Together, the two men battle the forces of evil, each other, and their own demons on the path to salvation.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
11 June 2026
-
Still, 51-year-old Rhys didn’t take Nile’s demons or Tom’s supernatural burden home.—
Emma Fraser,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Victor Rivas, 40, sustained injuries to his arms and was treated at a hospital before he was booked into jail on allegations of driving while intoxicated, resisting arrest and being a fugitive from adjacent Jefferson Parish, Louisiana State Police said.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
9 June 2026
-
The driver was also taken to Saint Joseph Medical Center with unknown injuries.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Although the novel’s center does not quite hold, O’Farrell’s emotional intelligence — the heart and heat of her characters — braces this sometimes unwieldy chronicle of a nation that has been subject to cumbrous historic agonies.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
Vulture,
2 June 2026
-
The agonies of the day were only intermittently audible in the music on offer in Witten.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Sakahara later told his son he’d been beaten and kicked and only buckled after officers began to direct the threats at people around him, said Koji, who had confronted his father about his confession.—
Yumi Asada,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
-
Damaging wind gusts and large hail are the main threats, and a tornado or two can’t be ruled out, especially in mid- to late afternoon in parts of eastern Kansas and western Missouri.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Any justice in the community would praise this murderer’s row of craftspeople working on the production design for the period town setting; makeup, especially Pennywise’s horrible face; sound design, for helping to keep the audio terrors churning along; and the costume work.—
William Earl,
Variety,
11 June 2026
-
Madonna has made music through various calamities that at the time felt world-ending — wars, political unrest, financial collapse — so the terrors of 2026 don’t seem to faze her.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
The Iskanders sued Grossman and Erickson, and last week a jury found the pair liable in the boys’ deaths, awarding $176 million in damages to parents Nancy and Karim Iskander and younger son Zachary for wrongful death and emotional distress.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
-
Though the lawsuit seeks upwards of $1 million in damages, the woman said, the effort isn’t about money.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Afflictions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afflictions. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
