as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
the afflicting sight of so many earthquake victims was too much even for some hardened rescue workers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to
the South was afflicted by a severe drought he's been afflicted by nightmares ever since the accident
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 afflicting
Grant Smith, Fortune, 4 Jan. 2026
The Canadian national conscience is rightly troubled by the serious social problems afflicting Indigenous Canada.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 27 Dec. 2025
Petek and others have warned about the possibility of a serious recession afflicting the national economy which would exacerbate the budget’s imbalance and strain California’s emergency reserves, which have already been tapped to cover shortfalls.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 20 Dec. 2025
No matter how much Nino may try to detach their devotion for one another from the problems afflicting Lebanon, the turmoil seeps into their home, proving that even the most personal choices are inevitably tied to larger forces.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 4 Dec. 2025
Cohen excels at describing the existential aimlessness afflicting young men set loose upon the world after completing their compulsory military service.
—Andrew Ridker, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
The isotopes can remain in the environment years after testing, afflicting those exposed with cancers including lung, leukemia, lymphoma, thyroid and breast, the paper says.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
Domestic violence is a painful reality afflicting too many households in this country, which makes the words and actions of the current administration so egregious and hurtful.
—Gwen Moore, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Jewelry companies have begun raising the alarm over possible price increases afflicting already-weary consumers.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
Other geopolitical threats afflicting OPEC+ nations continue to simmer.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for afflicting
Adjective
-
Proper skin preparation is key to making your wax sessions less painful.—
-
The high fevers, hospitalizations, and dehydration that these illnesses cause can be painful and disruptive—and, with vaccines, avoidable.—
Verb
-
Both cases are apt to serve as models for how to prevent the kind of school shootings still plaguing the nation and could set legal precedent for who shoulders the blame when children have access to guns and open fire on campus.—
-
The Live With Kelly and Mark talk show hostess seemingly hasn't known peace on the scariest day of the year for quite some time, but not because of ghosts and ghoulies plaguing her — but, rather, ungrateful neighbors who consistently complain about her Halloween candy.—
Adjective
-
Bipartisan harsh criticism Senators from both sides of the aisle blasted the investigation.—
-
Common exfoliators and fine line-eliminators like retinol and glycolic acid are too harsh on my skin, but this serum utilizes lactic acid, which is far more gentle but just as potent.—
Verb
-
Trump has repeatedly alleged that the South African government is actively persecuting white citizens, particularly farmers.—
-
The former human-rights lawyer entered on a tourist visa and filed for political asylum in October of that year, claiming the governments that succeeded Correa were persecuting him.—
Adjective
-
The forest had taught him that city dwellers could often be regulated by cruel and rather unpredictable codes.—
-
That Maduro is a cruel dictator is clear; that Trump intends more than just his arrest (such as taking their oil) is equally clear.—
Cite this Entry
“Afflicting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afflicting. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share