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
Harsh planetary afflictions give couples a goal to work towards, keeping the dynamic interesting.
—
Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2026
Jokic can be notoriously stubborn about playing through minor afflictions, but his stats on Friday backed up his postgame testimony that his knee felt good.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2026
Leading the list of afflictions are unprecedented levels of loneliness, depression, and cognitive decline.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
Ben-Adir and Morgan bring a raw and layered energy to the dynamic between their characters, and while the relationship between them thaws and complicates along a very predictable trajectory, progressive brain afflictions don’t exactly lend themselves to novelty or surprises.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2026
There was no dramatic incident, no hard foul that caused those afflictions.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
The show, which ran for five seasons, featured Chamberlain as the handsome and caring attendant to a panoply of guest-star patients seeking aid and comfort for a variety of afflictions.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2025
Neither the dangerously rampant mental health afflictions among military folk nor the dehumanization and exploitation of undocumented people have gone unexplored in American cinema.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025
Some of us have both of these afflictions, particularly beyond the age of 40-to-50.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 19 Aug. 2025
Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2026
Jokic can be notoriously stubborn about playing through minor afflictions, but his stats on Friday backed up his postgame testimony that his knee felt good.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2026
Leading the list of afflictions are unprecedented levels of loneliness, depression, and cognitive decline.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
Ben-Adir and Morgan bring a raw and layered energy to the dynamic between their characters, and while the relationship between them thaws and complicates along a very predictable trajectory, progressive brain afflictions don’t exactly lend themselves to novelty or surprises.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2026
There was no dramatic incident, no hard foul that caused those afflictions.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
The show, which ran for five seasons, featured Chamberlain as the handsome and caring attendant to a panoply of guest-star patients seeking aid and comfort for a variety of afflictions.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2025
Neither the dangerously rampant mental health afflictions among military folk nor the dehumanization and exploitation of undocumented people have gone unexplored in American cinema.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025
Some of us have both of these afflictions, particularly beyond the age of 40-to-50.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afflictions
Noun
-
The earliest depictions of slavery were already crawling with the terrible proceedings the Gothic tends to depict, from bloody whippings to family curses to the wrathful wraiths of the slain enslaved.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Gamers will know Brok as the beloved weapons dealer with an unrivaled artistry for creative, foul-mouthed curses.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Are Hellebuyck’s playoff demons slain, then?—
Murat Ates,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Ash vs Evil Dead (2015–2018) Bruce Campbell returns to the role he was born to play in this comedy-horror series 30 years after vanquishing body-possessing demons in The Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead II (1987), and Army of Darkness (1992).—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Court documents reveal extensive injuries including ligature marks, burn marks, broken bones and deformity sustained before Crystal Marie Falcon’s death on February 13.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
-
The other officer and the suspect both suffered minor injuries.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Olympic organizers have gone to great and sometimes absurd pains to excise political messaging from the Games.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The duo went to great pains to source pieces from the brands and collections Bessette Kennedy wore, including Prada coats and shoes and her favored Levi denim cut.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Department of Homeland Security said it’s been in contact with churches in Springfield about the threats.—
Caitlin Hu,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Maybe if Miami had added a quarterback better than Mike White and Skylar Thompson in the 2024 offseason, let’s say veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, Tagovailoa’s threats to sit out training camp, and the exhibition season wouldn’t have been so scary to McDaniel.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
What could be worse than these twin terrors?—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Almost every one of Arsenal’s title-winning seasons in living memory has had a moment where the terrors set in.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Then came the number that echoed loudest—another $1 million in exemplary damages, which is due usually for some type of bad behavior.—
Dave Lieber
Feb. 25,
Dallas Morning News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Court filings reviewed by CBS News said total damages eclipsed $3 million.—
Scott MacFarlane,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Hadi’s exceptional attention gives cinematic identity to collective artisanal energy, to the life force of care and devotion that stands outside the agonies of politics, to the spirit that endures a regime and outlives it.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Afflictions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afflictions. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
