afflict

/əˈflɪkt/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈflɪkt/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈflikt/ (ame, mw)

afflict — verb

  • afflictpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • afflictshe / she / it
  • afflictedpast simple
  • afflicting-ing form

1. to bring continuing pain, trouble, or harm to someone or something, especially t

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

to bring continuing pain, trouble, or harm to someone or something, especially through illness or another serious problem

例句

A chest infection afflicted Christopher for weeks and left him very tired.

illness + afflict + person

Heavy floods afflicted the small town just before the summer festival.

disaster + afflict + place

同義詞
  • trouble

    broader and more everyday; it can describe smaller worries as well as serious suffering

  • plague

    often suggests repeated or persistent problems that keep returning

  • torment

    stronger and more intense; often suggests extreme pain or mental suffering

  • burden

    focuses more on the weight of responsibility or hardship than on active suffering

反義詞
  • relieve

    to make pain, worry, or difficulty less severe

  • ease

    to reduce discomfort or make a bad condition gentler

文法句型

illness/problem + afflict + person/place

be afflicted with + illness/problem

be afflicted by + difficult condition

用法筆記

Usually formal and used for serious conditions rather than minor everyday annoyances. In passive patterns, speakers commonly say be afflicted with a disease or be afflicted by a wider problem affecting a person, animal, group, or place.

常見錯誤

❌The flu afflicted to many students.
✅The flu afflicted many students.
💡In active use, afflict takes a direct object without 'to'.
❌She was afflicted from headaches for months.
✅She was afflicted with headaches for months.
💡In passive use for illnesses, English normally uses 'with'.