The disease afflicts an estimated two million people every year.
the South was afflicted by a severe drought
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The same substantive deficits afflict Louise-Parker, too, whose bright eyes and brusque wit are wasted in a role that’s villainous potential exists only in exposition.—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 July 2025 Heat waves like the one currently afflicting the East Coast of the U.S. have been made far more likely by centuries of unchecked burning of fossil fuels — which release heat-trapping chemicals like carbon dioxide.—Saul Elbein, The Hill, 25 June 2025 The price transparency problem afflicting hospitals exemplifies the problem.—Wayne Winegarden, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025 Her brother Aaron, afflicted with the same condition, had passed away in 2019.—David Epstein, ProPublica, 18 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for afflict
Word History
Etymology
Middle English afflihten "to excite, become distressed," probably verbal derivative of affliht, aflyght "disturbed, upset," borrowed from Latin afflīctus, past participle of afflīgere "to knock or strike down, ruin, distress severely," from ad-ad- + flīgere "to strike down" — more at profligate entry 1
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