as in to impose
to cause someone to accept or experience something unwanted
The criminal inflicted a lifetime of distress on his unsuspecting victims.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 inflict
Claiming to root out waste, fraud, and abuse, Musk’s team has taken control of independent federal agencies and inflicted crippling cuts.
—
Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Apr. 2025
Holmes argues the church failed to supervise Lorch and, worse yet, retained him, thus enabling Lorch to allegedly inflict even more harms.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Repairing the reputational hits that have been inflicted since May of 2022.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
The National Institutes of Health’s sweeping cuts of grants that fund scientific research are inflicting pain almost universally across the U.S., including in most states that backed President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
—Rae Ellen Bichell and Rachana Pradhan, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflict
Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Apr. 2025
Holmes argues the church failed to supervise Lorch and, worse yet, retained him, thus enabling Lorch to allegedly inflict even more harms.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Repairing the reputational hits that have been inflicted since May of 2022.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
The National Institutes of Health’s sweeping cuts of grants that fund scientific research are inflicting pain almost universally across the U.S., including in most states that backed President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
—Rae Ellen Bichell and Rachana Pradhan, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflict
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflict
Verb
-
As a result, experts have said a one-size-fits-all rate like what the White House imposed on steel, aluminum and cars would be devastating.—
Joseph Choi,
The Hill,
22 Apr. 2025
-
On the first day of his second term, Trump issued executive orders to withdraw from the UN Paris climate accord and the World Health Organization and imposed a 90-day pause on all delivery of U.S. foreign aid.—
Ngaire Woods,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The debris – space rocks known as meteoroids – collides with Earth's atmosphere at high speed and disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky, according to NASA.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
-
The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Five years after the pandemic forced children into remote instruction, two-thirds of U.S. fourth graders still cannot read at grade level.—
K. Dara Hill,
The Conversation,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Such environments can force the plane downward, disrupt its ability to climb, or reduce lift on the wings, according to aviation experts.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
But after eating Holly's brain in hopes of finding out who killed her, Liv learns more about where Holly was coming from and how to bring something of Holly's insatiable lust for life into her own existence.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
27 Apr. 2025
-
Self Offense explores the fundamental dynamics of space and time in interactions, bringing it into conscious awareness to be used as a tool.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inflict.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflict. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share