Synonyms for afflict
əˈflɪktaf·flict

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:4.0 / 1 vote

1. afflict

   Castigate and chastise refer strictly to corporal punishment, tho both are somewhat archaic; correct and punish are often used as euphemisms in preference to either. Punish is distinctly retributive in sense; chastise, partly retributive, and partly corrective; chasten, wholly corrective. Chasten is used exclusively in the spiritual sense, and chiefly of the visitation of God.

   Synonyms:
   castigate, chasten, chastise, correct, discipline, humble, punish, purify, refine, soften, subdue, try

   Preposition:
   "We are chastened of the Lord," 1 Cor. xi, 32; "they ... chastened us after their own pleasure, but He for our profit," Heb. xii, 10; "chasten in thy hot displeasure," Ps. iv, 7; chasten with pain; by trials and sorrows.

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. afflictverb

   cause great unhappiness for; distress

   "she was afflicted by the death of her parents"

   Synonyms:
   smite

2. afflict, smiteverb

   cause physical pain or suffering in

   "afflict with the plague"

   Synonyms:
   smite

Matched Categories

1. • Upset

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. afflictverb

   Synonyms:
   grieve, distress, trouble, torment, agonize, plague, pain, hurt, harass, wound, exercise, grind, persecute, smite, make sorrowful

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. afflictverb

   Synonyms:
   persecute, distress, scourge, trouble, harass

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "afflict":

   affect, plague, bedevil

Suggested Resources

1. Afflict

   Inflict vs. Afflict -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Inflict and Afflict.

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How to use afflict in a sentence?

1. Harold Geneen:

   The worst disease which can afflict executives in their work is not, as popularly supposed, alcoholism; it's egotism.

2. James Martin S.J.:

   The role of the Christian is to comfort the afflicted -- of course -- but also to afflict the comfortable. We have people who need to be afflicted a little bit, particularly in their outlook towards the poor and the marginalized.

3. Cardinal Richelieu:

   War is one of the scourges with which it has pleased God to afflict men.

4. John Kenneth Galbraith, Guardian (London, 28 July 1989):

   In all life one should comfort the afflicted, but verily, also, one should afflict the comfortable, and especially when they are comfortably, contentedly, even happily wrong.

5. Finley Peter Dunne:

   Comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable.