as in plagues
to cause persistent suffering to
the South was afflicted by a severe drought he's been afflicted by nightmares ever since the accident
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Recent Examples of afflicts
Cucumbers are also susceptible to powdery mildew, a problem that afflicts many zinnias.
—
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026
The centuries-old pot-kettle idiom points out hypocrisy — as when one person accuses another of a flaw that afflicts himself.
—George Skelton, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
The centuries-old pot-kettle idiom points out hypocrisy — as when one person accuses another of a flaw that afflicts himself.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Lupus, which afflicts some five million people worldwide, is a leading cause of death among young women.
—Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
Put simply, notaming deficits through a balance of revenue increases and lower spending, but abandoning spending discipline, the curse that afflicts Europe to this day.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2026
Hicks and her legal team allege medical personnel later diagnosed Hicks with gestational diabetes — a condition that afflicts some pregnant women — as further justification to induce her.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
The disease afflicts individuals as well as corporate entities.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 23 Jan. 2026
Furthermore, regulatory sclerosis afflicts housing and infrastructure.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 25 Dec. 2025
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026
The centuries-old pot-kettle idiom points out hypocrisy — as when one person accuses another of a flaw that afflicts himself.
—George Skelton, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
The centuries-old pot-kettle idiom points out hypocrisy — as when one person accuses another of a flaw that afflicts himself.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Lupus, which afflicts some five million people worldwide, is a leading cause of death among young women.
—Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
Put simply, notaming deficits through a balance of revenue increases and lower spending, but abandoning spending discipline, the curse that afflicts Europe to this day.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2026
Hicks and her legal team allege medical personnel later diagnosed Hicks with gestational diabetes — a condition that afflicts some pregnant women — as further justification to induce her.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
The disease afflicts individuals as well as corporate entities.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 23 Jan. 2026
Furthermore, regulatory sclerosis afflicts housing and infrastructure.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 25 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afflicts
Verb
-
And as a fight over the reauthorization of a key national security surveillance law plagues the lower chamber, moving forward with the DHS funding hasn't appeared to be a top priority.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The reclined riding position spreads body weight evenly, eliminating the back, neck, and wrist strain that plagues conventional cycling.—
Omar Kardoudi
April 20,
New Atlas,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
China, which jails human rights activists in Hong Kong, persecutes Uyghurs, has killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and has committed genocide against the Falun Gong, is on the UN Human Rights Council.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
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In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Afflicts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afflicts. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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