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 misery inflicted on the thousands of Maryland commuters is merely the stick to drive more people to consider ailing public transportation options.
—
Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 11 Mar. 2026
There is humor and there is drama, as Rhoda is inflicted with tuberculosis and hospitalized in suburban Winfield and Denver.
—Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
The damage inflicted by the explosives could have been considerable, said Rebecca Weiner, the NYPD's deputy commissioner for intelligence and counterterrorism.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
The story follows Lourdes, who, as a child, was sent every summer to her mother’s rural hometown — a place framed as calm and family-friendly, yet haunted by the abuse inflicted by her uncle, a respected local police commissioner.
—Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
Pakistani state-run media said the country’s air force and ground troops inflicted heavy losses in their latest strikes targeting Afghan forces and the Pakistani Taliban — also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP.
—Munir Ahmed, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Pakistani state-run media said the country's air force and ground troops inflicted heavy losses in latest strikes targeting Afghan forces and the Pakistani Taliban — a militant group known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP.
—ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
The attacks also inflicted significant damage to civilian areas.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
Since 2024, a number of lawsuits have alleged that extensive use of the technology has inflicted a range of harms on children and adults alike, fostering delusions and despair for some and leading others to death by suicide and even murder-suicide.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 11 Mar. 2026
There is humor and there is drama, as Rhoda is inflicted with tuberculosis and hospitalized in suburban Winfield and Denver.
—Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
The damage inflicted by the explosives could have been considerable, said Rebecca Weiner, the NYPD's deputy commissioner for intelligence and counterterrorism.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
The story follows Lourdes, who, as a child, was sent every summer to her mother’s rural hometown — a place framed as calm and family-friendly, yet haunted by the abuse inflicted by her uncle, a respected local police commissioner.
—Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
Pakistani state-run media said the country’s air force and ground troops inflicted heavy losses in their latest strikes targeting Afghan forces and the Pakistani Taliban — also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP.
—Munir Ahmed, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Pakistani state-run media said the country's air force and ground troops inflicted heavy losses in latest strikes targeting Afghan forces and the Pakistani Taliban — a militant group known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP.
—ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
The attacks also inflicted significant damage to civilian areas.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
Since 2024, a number of lawsuits have alleged that extensive use of the technology has inflicted a range of harms on children and adults alike, fostering delusions and despair for some and leading others to death by suicide and even murder-suicide.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflicted
Verb
-
Western nations have imposed sanctions including the prohibition of arms sales.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Trump then immediately imposed a 10% global blanket tariff based on Section 122 of the Trade Act 1974, and threatened to raise it further to 15%.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Once the films were created, the researchers needed ways to carefully adjust the number of charge carriers—particles that carry electrical current inside the material.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Israeli strikes on Iranian oil fields and Iranian drone attacks elsewhere have forced production to slow or halt, while shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed over fear of vessels being targeted by Tehran.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
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Jaxson Hayes and Marcus Smart helped spearhead a strong defensive effort that held New York to less than 100 points and forced eight key turnovers late in the game.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In Season 1, confronted with overdoses, drownings, and a host of other crises great and small, the team nevertheless found time to deliver the soapiness that the best medical series have always brought.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
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At last, the alien—brought wonderfully to life, with an amusingly robotic voice and skittery movements, by the puppeteer James Ortiz—can tell his story.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inflicted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflicted. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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