affliction

/əˈflɪkʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈflɪkʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈflik-shən/ (ame, mw)

affliction — noun

  • afflictionsingular
  • afflictionsplural

1. A difficult situation, health problem, or heavy burden that brings ongoing hards

1.名詞B2
釋義

A difficult situation, health problem, or heavy burden that brings ongoing hardship or pain into a person's life.

例句

Mei considers her chronic back pain the worst affliction of her adult life.

count + 'the worst affliction of'

War is an affliction that destroys families and tears communities apart.

countable noun followed by 'that'-clause

同義詞
  • burden

    focuses on the weight or heaviness of the problem

  • ordeal

    emphasises a painful and difficult experience that must be endured

  • trial

    often carries a sense of testing one's strength, faith, or patience

反義詞
  • blessing

    something good that brings happiness rather than pain

  • relief

    removal or lessening of what causes suffering

文法句型

an affliction + that-clause

affliction + of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Countable noun. Names the specific cause — an illness, a problem, a burden — rather than the feeling of suffering itself. Common with 'bear', 'treat', and 'overcome'.

常見錯誤

❌I have an affliction called a cold.
✅I have a cold.
💡'affliction' sounds too dramatic for a minor illness; reserve it for serious or long-term hardship.
❌His laziness is an affliction.
✅His laziness is a problem.
💡'affliction' implies something painful or harmful, not merely a bad habit.

2. The condition of experiencing severe pain, worry, or unhappiness, often as a res

2.名詞B2
釋義

The condition of experiencing severe pain, worry, or unhappiness, often as a result of a tragic event or ongoing health problems.

例句

Everyone at the funeral could see the family's deep affliction and raw grief.

collocation: deep affliction

Kenji tried to hide his affliction, but his tired eyes told a different story.

同義詞
  • suffering

    broader and more common; covers any degree of pain or hardship

  • distress

    focuses on mental anguish, worry, or anxiety

  • agony

    suggests intense, almost unbearable pain, usually for a shorter period

  • misery

    implies sustained unhappiness in a more personal, everyday context

反義詞
  • comfort

    freedom from pain, worry, or hardship

  • joy

    strong happiness that is the opposite of misery

文法句型

in + affliction

deep/great + affliction

affliction + of + people/group

用法筆記

Typically uncountable in this sense. Describes the condition or experience of suffering rather than the external cause. Unlike sense 1, it cannot take the plural form and does not combine with 'a' or 'an'.

常見錯誤

❌He felt an affliction when his team lost the match.
✅He felt great disappointment when his team lost the match.
💡'affliction' is too strong for everyday setbacks; use it for deep or prolonged suffering.
❌She was in a great affliction.
✅She was in great affliction.
💡When describing the state (sense 2), do not use 'a' because it is uncountable.