inflict

/ɪnˈflɪkt/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈflɪkt/ (ame, ipa) · /in-ˈflikt/ (ame, mw)

inflict — verb

  • inflictpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • inflictshe / she / it
  • inflictedpast simple
  • inflicting-ing form

1. to deliberately make a person, group, or living thing experience something painf

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to deliberately make a person, group, or living thing experience something painful, difficult, or unwanted — for example, a military attack that causes civilian casualties, or a parent or authority figure who hands out harsh punishment.

例句

The old dictator's regime inflicted terrible suffering upon thousands of innocent civilians.

inflict + suffering + upon — formal register

Tamar's father inflicted harsh punishments on her for every small mistake.

inflict + punishment + on + person

同義詞
  • impose

    Broader in scope — can apply to duties, taxes, rules, or sanctions, not only pain/suffering; less emotionally charged.

  • cause

    Much more general and neutral; does not imply deliberate intention or the use of force.

  • mete out

    Specifically about punishment or justice; formal, often used in legal contexts (e.g., mete out a sentence).

反義詞
  • relieve

    To remove or reduce pain or suffering — the opposite of causing it.

  • spare

    To refrain from harming or punishing someone.

文法句型

inflict + something (unpleasant) + on/upon + someone/something

用法筆記

The direct object must always be something negative: pain, suffering, punishment, damage, injury, hardship, or a blow. The preposition upon sounds more formal than on and is more typical in legal or literary writing. This verb is rarely used in the passive voice, but when it is, the agent is usually explicit (e.g. 'suffering was inflicted on civilians by the regime').

常見錯誤

❌The storm inflicted the coastal town.
✅The storm inflicted severe damage on the coastal town.
💡Inflict always needs both a direct object (the bad thing) and a recipient introduced by on or upon; never put a person or place directly after the verb.
❌The doctor inflicted medicine on the patient.
✅The doctor gave medicine to the patient.
💡Inflict can only be used for unpleasant things (pain, punishment, injury). For neutral or positive things, use give, administer, or provide.
❌The disease inflicted him with a fever.
✅The disease afflicted him with a fever.
💡Inflict means to cause something bad; afflict means to suffer from something bad. Use be afflicted with/by for illnesses or problems that someone experiences.