as in imposes
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 inflicts
These arrests also take officers off the streets for hours to process these arrests, which inflicts a financial toll on the CPD’s overtime budget.
—
Silvana Tabares, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
There is also a growing body of credible evidence showing how EdTech inflicts emotional, cognitive, physical, and developmental harms on children, adolescents, and young adults, while displacing the human relationships that are essential to healthy human development and well-being.
—Dr. Timothy Scott, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2026
The focus here is squarely on her mother, another survivor who inflicts her own share of damage along the way.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Scott inflicts Ohm’s nonchalant meanness with a piercingly perverse matter-of-factness that places the character as far away as possible from the realm of likeability.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
On the one hand, the damage that Israel inflicts in the coming days and weeks will further weaken Hezbollah and increase the chances of successful disarmament.
—Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
If a minor fires the gun and inflicts harm on themselves or another individual, the person who failed to store the gun properly could face a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $7,500, or both.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Only if the Pac-12 collects three or four NCAA Tournament bids on a regular basis and a team not named Gonzaga or San Diego State inflicts damage in March Madness.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Leadership that dismisses or undermines inclusion inflicts real harm on students, faculty, and staff.
—Wanda James, Denver Post, 13 Jan. 2026
Silvana Tabares, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
There is also a growing body of credible evidence showing how EdTech inflicts emotional, cognitive, physical, and developmental harms on children, adolescents, and young adults, while displacing the human relationships that are essential to healthy human development and well-being.
—Dr. Timothy Scott, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2026
The focus here is squarely on her mother, another survivor who inflicts her own share of damage along the way.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Scott inflicts Ohm’s nonchalant meanness with a piercingly perverse matter-of-factness that places the character as far away as possible from the realm of likeability.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
On the one hand, the damage that Israel inflicts in the coming days and weeks will further weaken Hezbollah and increase the chances of successful disarmament.
—Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
If a minor fires the gun and inflicts harm on themselves or another individual, the person who failed to store the gun properly could face a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $7,500, or both.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Only if the Pac-12 collects three or four NCAA Tournament bids on a regular basis and a team not named Gonzaga or San Diego State inflicts damage in March Madness.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Leadership that dismisses or undermines inclusion inflicts real harm on students, faculty, and staff.
—Wanda James, Denver Post, 13 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflicts
Verb
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The Red Flag Day declaration imposes street-parking restrictions in select areas to ensure access for first responders if a fire should erupt.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
8 May 2026
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Iran controls which ships are allowed to pass and, for at least some vessels, imposes a tax on their cargo.—
Adam Schreck,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Sensei by Nobu creates incredible dishes – and not just seafood.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
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Matching your curtains to your wall color creates a seamless, sophisticated look.—
Macie Stump,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Din initially brings Grogu to the Client and retrieves his reward, only to have a change of heart.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
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In addition to drug experiments, Varda also brings various defense experiment payloads on its spaceflights for the Pentagon to help defray the cost, Reilly says.—
Ramin Skibba,
Scientific American,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inflicts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflicts. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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