affliction
noun
af·flic·tion
ə-ˈflik-shən 
1
: a cause of persistent pain or distress
a mysterious affliction
2
: great suffering
felt empathy with their affliction
3
: the state of being afflicted by something that causes suffering
her affliction with polio
Examples of affliction in a Sentence
She lost her sight and is now learning to live with her affliction.
He died from a mysterious affliction.
Recent Examples on the Web
Through the observations of the Tyrer children and interviews with CTE experts and a doctor treating Tyrer in his final days, among many others, Allen illuminated Tyrer’s affliction and substantially advanced the increasing view that CTE was at play.
—
Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 7 Feb. 2025
The diary entries that constitute this book, dictated from hospital beds in Rome and London, offer an unflinching look at Kureishi’s affliction.
—The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
Among multiple other afflictions Levine expects are vitamin deficiencies, starvation, dramatic weight loss, vision problems due to a lack of sunlight, broken bones, cognitive impairment and mental health trauma.
—Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2025
This time this affliction had invaded my home and had picked on my kid.
—John Sergio, Newsweek, 15 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for affliction
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Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 7 Feb. 2025
The diary entries that constitute this book, dictated from hospital beds in Rome and London, offer an unflinching look at Kureishi’s affliction.
—The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
Among multiple other afflictions Levine expects are vitamin deficiencies, starvation, dramatic weight loss, vision problems due to a lack of sunlight, broken bones, cognitive impairment and mental health trauma.
—Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2025
This time this affliction had invaded my home and had picked on my kid.
—John Sergio, Newsweek, 15 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for affliction
Cite this Entry
“Affliction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affliction. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
affliction
noun
af·flic·tion
ə-ˈflik-shən
1
: the state of being afflicted
2
: something that causes pain or unhappiness
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