noun
affliction
uh-FLIHK-shuhn
noun
1
A condition or event that causes ongoing pain, suffering, or hardship.
"Chronic pain has been a lifelong affliction for him."
"The famine was one of the worst afflictions the region ever faced."
How to Use Affliction
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA source of ongoing suffering, whether an illness, hardship, or painful situation.
Common pairings
a chronic affliction
suffer an affliction
Word Forms
afflictions plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “affliction”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Chronic pain has been a lifelong _____ for him.
Etymology
From Old French afliction, from Latin afflictio, "torment," from the verb affligere, "to strike or beat down" — related to "af-" plus "fligere," to strike.