as in imposed
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 inflicted
The war has also inflicted significant damage on Hamas’ supplies of its heaviest weapons and its weapons manufacturing capabilities, as well as on its senior leadership.
—
Matt Bradley, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2025
But the most important part of the story left unseen in the series is the gut-wrenching violence Gacy inflicted on his victims, both those who died and the few who survived.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 18 Oct. 2025
Portlanders understand the tragic reality that’s been inflicted on us, which is why resistance here often looks more like performance art than warfare.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Joe Podraza, a lawyer for Greenberg's parents, has said that this wound was inflicted after Greenberg's heart stopped beating.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025
The invasive species that has inflicted the most environmental and economic harm on the Great Lakes is the zebra mussel.
—Christine Keiner, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2025
The relentless physical damage inflicted on people with type 1 diabetes is well known.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
President Biden singularly stands out in his callous enabling of the horrors inflicted on Gaza for more than a year.
—Shibley Telhami, Time, 13 Oct. 2025
An increasing number of Americans have, in recent years, opted to observe Indigenous Peoples Day instead of Columbus Day, pointing to the violence explorer Christopher Columbus inflicted on Native communities, The Hill previously reported.
—Addy Bink, The Hill, 12 Oct. 2025
Matt Bradley, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2025
But the most important part of the story left unseen in the series is the gut-wrenching violence Gacy inflicted on his victims, both those who died and the few who survived.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 18 Oct. 2025
Portlanders understand the tragic reality that’s been inflicted on us, which is why resistance here often looks more like performance art than warfare.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Joe Podraza, a lawyer for Greenberg's parents, has said that this wound was inflicted after Greenberg's heart stopped beating.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025
The invasive species that has inflicted the most environmental and economic harm on the Great Lakes is the zebra mussel.
—Christine Keiner, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2025
The relentless physical damage inflicted on people with type 1 diabetes is well known.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
President Biden singularly stands out in his callous enabling of the horrors inflicted on Gaza for more than a year.
—Shibley Telhami, Time, 13 Oct. 2025
An increasing number of Americans have, in recent years, opted to observe Indigenous Peoples Day instead of Columbus Day, pointing to the violence explorer Christopher Columbus inflicted on Native communities, The Hill previously reported.
—Addy Bink, The Hill, 12 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflicted
Verb
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Though the Maldives is the first country to enact such a ban, similar proposals have been debated – and nearly imposed – in other parts of the world.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
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The Pentagon recently imposed the most stringent access restrictions of the term, requiring that all reporters covering the Defense Department in person sign a restrictive press policy prohibiting them from soliciting any information the department has not authorized for release.—
Scott Nover,
Arkansas Online,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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See our fan gallery created by Courier Journal photographer Scott Utterback.—
Stephanie Stremplewski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Oct. 2025
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Examples include the hospitality boxes F1 has created with Lewis Hamilton and Gordon Ramsay for 2025.—
Patrick Iversen,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And then the occasional strip club that I was forced to go to.—
Frank DiGiacomo,
Billboard,
3 Nov. 2025
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According to Adams, Koehler forced the woman from her upstairs bedroom down to downstairs, purposely disorienting her — the basis for the kidnapping charge he was also found guilty of.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Eileen has freshly embraced sobriety, and has brought her manuscript with her in the hopes of impressing several key mucky-mucks in attendance.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
29 Oct. 2025
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Brown brought a full R&B coalition with him in Summer Walker, Bryson Tiller and Jhené Aiko, proving that Beyoncé isn’t the only R&B powerhouse capable of pulling stadium-level receipts.—
Carl Lamarre,
Billboard,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inflicted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflicted. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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