1
as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind
she listened with deep affliction as her daughter told her about the latest trouble she was in
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2
as in sorrow
deep sadness especially for the loss of someone or something loved
felt such great affliction over the destruction of the beautiful old home
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3
as in curse
a source of harm or misfortune
alcohol has been his affliction ever since he took his first drink at the age of 12
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4
5
as in injury
something that causes loss or pain
cronyism and corruption are afflictions on the body politic
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of affliction
In the genre, the Central American auteur found a piercing vehicle to discuss the sociopolitical afflictions of his homeland.
—
Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 22 Nov. 2024
From Hillary Clinton’s private email server to disappearing messages on encrypted apps during the Trump era, the erosion of formal communication protocols has become a bipartisan affliction.
—Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Now, the two pair their boundary-less creative freedom and turn it toward providing a mirror to modern-day afflictions, on this brooding look at mental health and depression.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 10 Mar. 2025
An account believed to be his on an online forum called Tapatalk posted about the affliction between 2009 and 2012, and a high school friend of Kohberger’s also confirmed his condition, the Statesman previously reported.
—Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for affliction
Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 22 Nov. 2024
From Hillary Clinton’s private email server to disappearing messages on encrypted apps during the Trump era, the erosion of formal communication protocols has become a bipartisan affliction.
—Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Now, the two pair their boundary-less creative freedom and turn it toward providing a mirror to modern-day afflictions, on this brooding look at mental health and depression.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 10 Mar. 2025
An account believed to be his on an online forum called Tapatalk posted about the affliction between 2009 and 2012, and a high school friend of Kohberger’s also confirmed his condition, the Statesman previously reported.
—Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for affliction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affliction
Noun
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Kahle said that includes providing resources to participants for whom sharing experiences of intimate partner violence may cause trauma or mental health distress.—
Rae Ellen Bichell and Rachana Pradhan,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2025
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Costa Rican officials have disputed reports by the country’s Ombudsman’s Office that the deportees arrived in Costa Rica in visible distress and that authorities failed to guarantee proper conditions for arriving deportees.—
Megan Janetsky,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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And then, to forever live on earth, in a place with conflict and pain and sorrow, that’s not her goal.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Apr. 2025
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In churches like this, where belief is expressed in multiple languages, the loss of a pope is a death in the family, and the sorrow, like the faith, runs deep.—
Janet Shamlian,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
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After turning undead and hiding her bite wound, Mary easily gets permission to re-enter the building, and quickly seduces Stack, before murdering him and infecting him with the vampire curse.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
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Is their bond enough to break a centuries-old curse?—
Anna Moeslein,
Glamour,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Between cases, Harvey confronted his demons and by the series’ 2019 finale was a married man headed to Seattle to reunite with his sidekick to do some legal good for the little guys.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Apr. 2025
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This could be the first step in Hellebuyck erasing demons from playoffs past.—
Jeremy Rutherford,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In response to questions from Jackson, Nuttall agreed that injuries to O'Keefe's face could have been caused by a punch to the face.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
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Authorities said at least one injury was reported, but offered no details.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Ellie is stricken with agony, her reaction almost feral.—
Noel Murray,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2025
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The agony of not knowing was heartbreakingly illustrated by the plight of Oscar Johnson, of St. Charles.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
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But Season 2, by leaning so far into its characters’ anguish, has become more circular and suffocating in its storytelling.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
21 Apr. 2025
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Coogler attempts to out-scare Jordan Peele’s Get Out, using horror tropes to match the anguish expressed by the blues.—
Armond White,
National Review,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Ahead of the March 8 trade deadline, the Panthers added defenseman Seth Jones, then shocked the hockey world by acquiring longtime nemesis and former Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand.—
Carol Schram,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
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Kasie finds records tying Gemma to Parker’s (Gary Cole) old nemesis, Kansas City mob boss Carla Marino (Rebecca De Mornay).—
Sara Netzley,
EW.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Affliction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affliction. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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