as in imposing
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 inflicting
She was charged with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon and inflicting great bodily injury.
—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
1 July 2026
Vanderhoef was additionally sentenced to five consecutive years for inflicting bodily injury and using a weapon during the commission of a crime.
—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2026
Yet meaningful change has been slow to materialize, souring views of Starmer’s premiership and inflicting heavy losses on the Labour Party in local government elections in May, which virtually sealed his fate.
—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
23 June 2026
The global economy in tumult, inflicting financial pain on American citizens that will linger even as oil prices decline.
—
Daniel B. Shapiro,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2026
Varley, a teacher, was also found guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm; four counts of cruelty to a person under 16; ten counts of taking indecent images of a child; two counts of possessing indecent images of a child; and one count of distributing an indecent image of a child.
—
Kc Baker,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
Californios departed the battlefield after inflicting heavy losses.
—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
12 June 2026
He was convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm.
—
ABC News,
12 June 2026
Just days after Helene, Milton made landfall nearby as a major hurricane, inflicting substantial wind damage.
—
The Conversation,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
1 July 2026
Vanderhoef was additionally sentenced to five consecutive years for inflicting bodily injury and using a weapon during the commission of a crime.
—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2026
Yet meaningful change has been slow to materialize, souring views of Starmer’s premiership and inflicting heavy losses on the Labour Party in local government elections in May, which virtually sealed his fate.
—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
23 June 2026
The global economy in tumult, inflicting financial pain on American citizens that will linger even as oil prices decline.
—
Daniel B. Shapiro,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2026
Varley, a teacher, was also found guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm; four counts of cruelty to a person under 16; ten counts of taking indecent images of a child; two counts of possessing indecent images of a child; and one count of distributing an indecent image of a child.
—
Kc Baker,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
Californios departed the battlefield after inflicting heavy losses.
—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
12 June 2026
He was convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm.
—
ABC News,
12 June 2026
Just days after Helene, Milton made landfall nearby as a major hurricane, inflicting substantial wind damage.
—
The Conversation,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflicting
Verb
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In its latest state budget that is expected to be voted on by the legislature this week, North Carolina is imposing a 6% tax on net trading fee revenue from prediction markets operating within the state, according to WRAL.
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Colombia wasted no time imposing itself on the Portugal defense, taking two shots in the opening minutes, the first a header by Cordoba after a Diaz shot was deflected, and another by Rodriguez that went wide.
Verb
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Unlike scenic destinations that become part of a wedding backdrop, Walshe said Madison Square Garden presents the opposite challenge because designers would first have to erase the venue's familiar arena feel before creating something entirely new.
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And that means creating connections that are outside of a computer screen.
Verb
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Liv Morgan controversially interrupted Iyo Sky's coronation, attacking her and forcing a tap-out.
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California previously faced tens of billions of dollars in budget deficits, forcing painful cuts such as a rollback last year on a promise to provide free healthcare to low-income immigrants without legal status.
Verb
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And this includes bringing more attention the particular deficit that women face in getting properly diagnosed and treated.
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Despite his lack of starts and goal involvements, George impressed in his cameos, bringing pace and goal threat to the Everton attack.
Cite this Entry
“Inflicting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflicting. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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