Staring in the smudged mirror, he was not certain if his affliction was loneliness or madness.
Source: tatoeba (1126668)
Affliction
/əˈflɪk.ʃən/
Synonyms for "affliction" (194 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (39)
Strong matches (58)
congenital defectcrosscrown of thornscruciblecrushing burdencursedeathdefectdeficiency diseasedeformitydegenerative diseasedestructiondifficultiesdifficultydisabilitydisasterdiseasedisorderdistemperdistress
Show 33 more words
doledownerencumbranceendemicendemic diseaseendocrine diseaseepidemic diseaseevilfunctional diseasefungus diseasegallgall and wormwoodgastrointestinal diseasegenetic diseasegriefgrievancehandicaphard knockshard lifehard lothardcasehardshipharmheartacheheartbreakhellhereditary diseaseiatrogenic diseaseillnessindispositioninfectious diseaseinfirmityinfliction
Related words (97)
irritationloadmaladymalaisemischancemiserymisfortunemishapmorbiditymorbusmuscular diseasenemesisneurological diseasenutritional diseaseoccupational diseaseopen woundoppressionordealorganic diseasepack of troubles
Show 63 more words
painpandemic diseasepathological conditionpathologypeck of troublespersecutionpestpestilencepipplacidplagueplant diseaseplightpredicamentpressureprotozoan diseasepsychosomatic diseaserackregretrespiratory diseaseretributionrigorrockinessruerunning sorescourgesea of troublessecondary diseaseseedinesssickishnesssicknesssignsignssmartsorrowstressstress of lifesufferingsymptomsymptomatologysymptomologysymptomssyndromethe pipthorntormenttrialtribulationtroubletroublesundoingurogenital diseasevale of tearsvexationvicissitudevirus diseasevisitationwasting diseasewaters of bitternessweightwoeworm diseasewretchedness
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abnormality, acute disease, adverse circumstances, adversity, affection.
- Sentence evidence is available for affliction, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "affliction".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "affliction"
Keep "affliction" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "affliction" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "affliction", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "affliction" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
11 entriesMore specific
4 entriesCollocations
6 entriesaffliction of povertychronic afflictiongrave afflictiongreat afflictionmoral afflictionserious affliction
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
5 entriesSample sentences
12 total sentences available.
To go on from pain to pain mystery to mystery. From stone pain to plant pain. For everything is pain. The pain of battle the fear of not being. Links of pain chain the earth to the sky the waters to the land. And worlds gallop in orbits of affliction. Thinking of surprise.
Source: tatoeba (2474675)
I'm glad it's not rainy today because it's easier to be cheerful and bear up under affliction on a sunshiny day.
Source: tatoeba (5825062)
Unless the God of my father, Abraham, and the fear of Isaac had stood by me, peradventure now thou hadst sent me away naked: God beheld my affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesterday.
Source: tatoeba (7828537)
Showing 4 of 12 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "affliction"?
Closest matches include abnormality, acute disease, adverse circumstances, adversity, affection.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "affliction"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.