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单词 afflict
释义

afflict

verb

af·​flict ə-ˈflikt How to pronounce afflict (audio)
afflicted; afflicting; afflicts

transitive verb

1
a
: to cause pain or suffering to : to distress so severely as to cause persistent suffering or anguish
people afflicted with arthritis
a region afflicted by hunger and poverty
b
: trouble, injure
2
obsolete
a
: humble
b
: overthrow

Synonyms

  • agonize
  • anguish
  • bedevil
  • beset
  • besiege
  • curse
  • excruciate
  • harrow
  • persecute
  • plague
  • rack
  • torment
  • torture
See all Synonyms & Antonyms

Example Sentences

The disease afflicts an estimated two million people every year. the South was afflicted by a severe drought
Recent Examples on the Web Morrison’s backstory for Luda is a gothic kaleidoscope of the horrors that can afflict a child who doesn’t fit parental preconceptions. Noah Bertlatsky, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2022 Instead, we are given a few weeks to predict what disease or accident might afflict our family in the calendar year ahead. Nick Fuller Googins, Men's Health, 17 Aug. 2022 Given all that, perhaps the biggest revelation in her new autobiography, A Portrait of the Scientist as a Young Woman, is that this stellar high achiever was plagued by the same doubts and lack of confidence that afflict the rest of us. Howard Lee, Ars Technica, 2 July 2022 That pessimism is due to natural decline rates averaging around 10% a year that afflict mature oil fields. Christopher Helman, Forbes, 2 June 2022 His last article for the magazine was on long Covid, the mysterious set of ailments that afflict some people after Covid-19 infection. New York Times, 25 May 2022 Nafisi’s dispatches are eloquent essays on literature’s power to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Chris Vognar, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2022 Not all of the disease’s effects are well understood: researchers are still studying how Covid-19 damages the brain and inhibits smell and the mechanism behind the long-term symptoms that afflict about 1 in 5 adult survivors of the disease. Zachary Snowdon Smith, Forbes, 26 May 2022 Near or above record highs in the mid-90s are projected to afflict the Houston area until Monday. Dan Carson, Chron, 13 May 2022 See More

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

afflict

verb

af·​flict ə-ˈflikt How to pronounce afflict (audio)
afflicted; afflicting
: to cause pain or unhappiness to
An unusual illness afflicted the young girl.

afflict

verb

as in to plague
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

Relevance
  • plague
  • persecute
  • besiege
  • beset
  • bedevil
  • torture
  • torment
  • curse
  • bother
  • attack
  • anguish
  • agonize
  • trouble
  • harrow
  • assail
  • sting
  • disturb
  • rack
  • aggravate
  • annoy
  • overwhelm
  • excruciate
  • strike
  • oppress
  • vex
  • irritate
  • harass
  • irk
  • exasperate
  • perturb
  • pursue
  • molest
  • hurt
  • distress
  • victimize
  • pester
  • worry
  • agitate
  • hound
  • smite
  • grieve
  • discomfort
  • rile
  • try
  • discompose
  • chafe
  • dog
  • tyrannize
  • overpower
  • disquiet
  • bug
  • pain
  • badger
  • stress
  • upset
  • ride
  • stab
  • harry
  • gall
  • fluster
  • pique
  • peeve
  • put out
  • gripe
  • strain
  • grate
  • wring
  • nettle
  • crush
  • smart
  • pang
  • get
  • martyr
  • prick
  • rasp
  • hagride

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

  • help
  • assist
  • aid
  • relieve
  • abet
  • deliver
  • soothe
  • release
  • comfort
  • quiet
  • console
  • content
  • succor
  • reprieve
  • solace
See More

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of afflict are rack, torment, torture, and try. While all these words mean "to inflict on a person something that is hard to bear," afflict is a general term and applies to the causing of pain or suffering or of acute annoyance, embarrassment, or any distress.

ills that afflict the elderly

In some situations, the words rack and afflict are roughly equivalent. However, rack stresses straining or wrenching.

a body racked by pain

While in some cases nearly identical to afflict, torment suggests persecution or the repeated inflicting of suffering or annoyance.

a horse tormented by flies

The synonyms torture and afflict are sometimes interchangeable, but torture adds the implication of causing unbearable pain or suffering.

tortured by a sense of guilt

Although the words try and afflict have much in common, try suggests imposing something that strains the powers of endurance or of self-control.

children often try their parents' patience
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更新时间:2025/3/22 16:27:26