1
as in distresses
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in curses
a source of harm or misfortune
alcohol has been his affliction ever since he took his first drink at the age of 12
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in demons
a source of persistent emotional distress
suffered from afflictions that only a professional therapist could deal with
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in injuries
something that causes loss or pain
cronyism and corruption are afflictions on the body politic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of afflictions
Jokic can be notoriously stubborn about playing through minor afflictions, but his stats on Friday backed up his postgame testimony that his knee felt good.
—
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2026
Leading the list of afflictions are unprecedented levels of loneliness, depression, and cognitive decline.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
Ben-Adir and Morgan bring a raw and layered energy to the dynamic between their characters, and while the relationship between them thaws and complicates along a very predictable trajectory, progressive brain afflictions don’t exactly lend themselves to novelty or surprises.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2026
There was no dramatic incident, no hard foul that caused those afflictions.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
The show, which ran for five seasons, featured Chamberlain as the handsome and caring attendant to a panoply of guest-star patients seeking aid and comfort for a variety of afflictions.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2025
Neither the dangerously rampant mental health afflictions among military folk nor the dehumanization and exploitation of undocumented people have gone unexplored in American cinema.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025
Some of us have both of these afflictions, particularly beyond the age of 40-to-50.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 19 Aug. 2025
While untreated mental afflictions can now be addressed under state law, the same should be extended to folks suffering from addiction.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2025
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2026
Leading the list of afflictions are unprecedented levels of loneliness, depression, and cognitive decline.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
Ben-Adir and Morgan bring a raw and layered energy to the dynamic between their characters, and while the relationship between them thaws and complicates along a very predictable trajectory, progressive brain afflictions don’t exactly lend themselves to novelty or surprises.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2026
There was no dramatic incident, no hard foul that caused those afflictions.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
The show, which ran for five seasons, featured Chamberlain as the handsome and caring attendant to a panoply of guest-star patients seeking aid and comfort for a variety of afflictions.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2025
Neither the dangerously rampant mental health afflictions among military folk nor the dehumanization and exploitation of undocumented people have gone unexplored in American cinema.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025
Some of us have both of these afflictions, particularly beyond the age of 40-to-50.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 19 Aug. 2025
While untreated mental afflictions can now be addressed under state law, the same should be extended to folks suffering from addiction.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afflictions
Noun
-
Gamers will know Brok as the beloved weapons dealer with an unrivaled artistry for creative, foul-mouthed curses.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
30 Jan. 2026
-
In Jujutsu Kaisen, heroic jujutsu sorcerers wage war against demonic creatures called curses and the curse users, who wield jujutsu powers for evil.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Instead of teaching his nephew how to fight, Jake shows Marc what real courage is, facing down his own demons along the way.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
3 Feb. 2026
-
In the process, Jake shows Marc what real courage is while facing down his own demons.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Instructors are trained to teach students with injuries and mobility concerns.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The man later went into cardiac arrest and died from his injuries.—
Ashley Carnahan,
FOXNews.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
White southerners took great pains to keep track of men and women like Henry Fordham.—
Eugene Robinson,
The Atlantic,
3 Feb. 2026
-
My adolescence was an ordinary one, its joys and pains small.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Trump has been outspoken about his plans to acquire Greenland, citing national security threats from Russia and China.—
Sarah Davis,
The Hill,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Cyber threats, artificial intelligence, trade disruption, workforce transitions, energy security, climate pressures, human rights, labor standards and national security are inherently transnational.—
Alan H.H. Fleischmann,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Almost every one of Arsenal’s title-winning seasons in living memory has had a moment where the terrors set in.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The lustrous surfaces hide moral horrors, silence emotional terrors, and block out the filth beyond their boundaries.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Losses could put the tech firms on the hook for billions of dollars in damages and force them to change their platforms.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
If the companies are found liable, the jury will consider whether to award Kaley damages for pain and suffering, and could also impose punitive damages.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Hadi’s exceptional attention gives cinematic identity to collective artisanal energy, to the life force of care and devotion that stands outside the agonies of politics, to the spirit that endures a regime and outlives it.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Afflictions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afflictions. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
