affliction

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

affliction — 名詞

  • afflictionsingular
  • afflictionsplural

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

1.名詞B2
釋義

折磨；苦難

造成持續痛苦的事物或狀況

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.

Mei 認為她的慢性背痛是她成年生活中最痛苦的折磨。

count + 'the worst affliction of'

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

戰爭是一種毀滅家庭、撕裂社區的苦難。

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

痛苦；煎熬

極度痛苦或苦難的狀態

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.

葬禮上的每個人都看得出這家人深深的痛苦與悲傷。

collocation: deep affliction

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

Kenji 試圖隱藏自己的痛苦，但他疲憊的眼神說出了實情。

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.