as in to impose
to cause someone to accept or experience something unwanted
The criminal inflicted a lifetime of distress on his unsuspecting victims.
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Recent Examples of inflict
Instead of redesigning the heat shield — which NASA will do for future missions — the agency opted to bring the capsule in on a steeper trajectory intended to inflict less stress on the materials.
—
Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
In 2010, Fidesz, assisted in part by the bruises inflicted by the global financial crisis, won a sweeping parliamentary majority.
—Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
Referees are people, too, and feel the pain inflicted by a video review system that is simply not fit for purpose.
—Graham Scott, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Then, one set of chimps began to inflict collective violence against their former neighbors.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inflict
Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
In 2010, Fidesz, assisted in part by the bruises inflicted by the global financial crisis, won a sweeping parliamentary majority.
—Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
Referees are people, too, and feel the pain inflicted by a video review system that is simply not fit for purpose.
—Graham Scott, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Then, one set of chimps began to inflict collective violence against their former neighbors.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inflict
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflict
Verb
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New York parents and advocates descended on City Hall Thursday to plead with Mayor Mamdani to break with his schools chancellor and impose a two-year moratorium on artificial intelligence in the classroom.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Several companies and associations involved in the international trade of art and antiquities weighed in before today’s deadline for comment, calling for works of art to be exempt from any tariffs that might be imposed as a result of Greer’s investigation.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This article was generated by the Bay Area Home Report Bot, software that analyzes home sales or other data and creates an article based on a template created by humans.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
18 Apr. 2026
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It was created nearly 20 years ago to help struggling vinyl stores when record sales were dying off.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At the same time, declining loan valuations — markdowns in the value of loans extended by private credit funds — are signaling stress at the company level, forcing private equity managers to mark down asset values and accept lower returns, said Hooke.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
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Freya Godfrey Was forced to withdraw from the latest squad due to injury, and is uncapped at senior level.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Community members are asked to bring their own bags.—
Ryan Hughes,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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This thing that brings us into the world can so quickly be deemed indecent.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inflict.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflict. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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