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
Leadership that dismisses or undermines inclusion inflicts real harm on students, faculty, and staff.
—
Wanda James, Denver Post, 13 Jan. 2026
The virus inflicts acute gastroenteritis — inflammation of the stomach or intestines — on people of all ages in the United States, the CDC said.
—Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 15 Dec. 2025
The costume designer adds that those subtle perforations become deeper cuts only when Will begins to doubt his own abilities as a father, and inflicts damage of his own.
—Elaina Patton, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025
In the coming centuries, what the world inflicts on Greenland will be reflected back on it; the melting of the Greenlandic ice sheet will inundate coastal areas from Dhaka to Mar-a-Lago.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
The Blackcoat's Daughter (2015) Moody and intricate (sometimes maddeningly so), this debut from Oz Perkins (son of Psycho star Anthony) inflicts supernatural horror and grief upon the students of a Catholic boarding school.
—Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
And, fair or not, White evangelical Christians are viewed by many as the group that inflicts the most pain.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
Solitary confinement inflicts long-lasting psychological and neurological harm similar to post-traumatic stress disorder.
—Terry Kupers, Oc Register, 11 Oct. 2025
Trump gets his headlines, and inflicts a jolt of panic, and doesn't care whether this survives first contact with the courts.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Wanda James, Denver Post, 13 Jan. 2026
The virus inflicts acute gastroenteritis — inflammation of the stomach or intestines — on people of all ages in the United States, the CDC said.
—Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 15 Dec. 2025
The costume designer adds that those subtle perforations become deeper cuts only when Will begins to doubt his own abilities as a father, and inflicts damage of his own.
—Elaina Patton, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025
In the coming centuries, what the world inflicts on Greenland will be reflected back on it; the melting of the Greenlandic ice sheet will inundate coastal areas from Dhaka to Mar-a-Lago.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
The Blackcoat's Daughter (2015) Moody and intricate (sometimes maddeningly so), this debut from Oz Perkins (son of Psycho star Anthony) inflicts supernatural horror and grief upon the students of a Catholic boarding school.
—Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
And, fair or not, White evangelical Christians are viewed by many as the group that inflicts the most pain.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
Solitary confinement inflicts long-lasting psychological and neurological harm similar to post-traumatic stress disorder.
—Terry Kupers, Oc Register, 11 Oct. 2025
Trump gets his headlines, and inflicts a jolt of panic, and doesn't care whether this survives first contact with the courts.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflicts
Verb
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This means that wealth-accumulating developers seeking to erect skyscrapers with expensive luxury apartments that feature the city’s most glorious vistas are the ones hardest hit by the regulatory restrictions that landmark designation typically imposes.—
Michael S. Hiller,
New York Daily News,
13 Jan. 2026
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That lawsuit is set to continue while the state also imposes its new regulatory limits.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Calvo's second executive order creates a task force to review business licenses in the city that may have ties to Cuba's government, with the potential for licenses to be revoked.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
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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,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Our expert take The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card aims to brings premium restaurant rewards and travel benefits to users, including an annual hotel benefit of $300.—
Ryley Amond,
CNBC,
9 Jan. 2026
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Dancing along to educational songs brings you and your kids closer together—and turns learning about their world into a fun game.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inflicts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflicts. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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