Inflict
verb
To make someone or something suffer something unpleasant.
He didn't want to inflict his worries on his family.
Often appears as...
- inflict pain
- inflict damage
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To forcefully impose something undesirable.
The enemy inflicted a crushing defeat on the army.
Often appears as...
- inflict a defeat
- inflict a punishment
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To make someone or something suffer something unpleasant.
He didn't want to inflict his worries on his family.
Often appears as...
- inflict pain
- inflict damage
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To forcefully impose something undesirable.
The enemy inflicted a crushing defeat on the army.
Often appears as...
- inflict a defeat
- inflict a punishment
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional weight
Inflict often carries emotional depth, highlighting the severity of what is suffered.
The judge's decision inflicted deep anguish on the victim's family.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative contexts
Inflict is usually used in negative contexts to describe the act of causing suffering or pain.
The harsh climate inflicted suffering on the early settlers.
Pro Tip 3/3Beyond physical
Inflict isn't restricted to physical pain; it can also refer to psychological or emotional harm.
Bullying can inflict lasting emotional trauma.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional weight
Inflict often carries emotional depth, highlighting the severity of what is suffered.
The judge's decision inflicted deep anguish on the victim's family.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative contexts
Inflict is usually used in negative contexts to describe the act of causing suffering or pain.
The harsh climate inflicted suffering on the early settlers.
Pro Tip 3/3Beyond physical
Inflict isn't restricted to physical pain; it can also refer to psychological or emotional harm.
Bullying can inflict lasting emotional trauma.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional weight
Inflict often carries emotional depth, highlighting the severity of what is suffered.
The judge's decision inflicted deep anguish on the victim's family.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative contexts
Inflict is usually used in negative contexts to describe the act of causing suffering or pain.
The harsh climate inflicted suffering on the early settlers.
Pro Tip 3/3Beyond physical
Inflict isn't restricted to physical pain; it can also refer to psychological or emotional harm.
Bullying can inflict lasting emotional trauma.
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Video examples
The surprising decline...
there is a widespread sentiment that life is cheap. In earlier times, when suffering and early death were common in one's own life, one has fewer compunctions about inflicting them on others. And as technology and economic efficiency make life longer and more pleasant, one puts a higher value on life in general.
Video examples
The difference between...
It's part of being human. In its worst form, the harm we inflict on loved ones shows up as abuse and violence, and relationship abuse is something that one in three women and one in four men will experience in their lifetime. Now, if you're like most people, when you hear those stats,
Video examples
The benefits of good...
impair your body's ability to deal with the forces on it. Poor posture inflicts extra wear and tear on your joints and ligaments, increases the likelihood of accidents, and makes some organs, like your lungs, less efficient. Researchers have linked poor posture to scoliosis,
Video examples
Shark Attack! PIPE National...
recapture the shark he reaches down with a hook stick and hooks the shark again in the mouth of course the shark does what any animal would do to protect itself it comes back and turns immediately toward the closest target that it imagines has inflicted this pain
Video examples
Finding the transformativ...
actually helped me do these pictures which with the aid of stencils a little you know we can actually make photographs with living cells this thing is not really working you know and what we were trying to do we're trying to inflict some kind of a comfortable
Video examples
Rethinking infidelity...
But even more important, is to curb the curiosity to mine for the sordid details -- Where were you? Where did you do it? How often? Is she better than me in bed? -- questions that only inflict more pain, and keep you awake at night.
Video examples
Peter Singer: The why...
I'm pleased to say that there is now also a website looking at effective animal organizations. That's another cause that I've been concerned about all my life, the immense amount of suffering that humans inflict
Video examples
Giant Carnivorous...
less fortunate monitor lizards which may win them a few friends razor-sharp teeth and germ-laden saliva can inflict life-threatening wounds but water monitors rarely bite humans
Video examples
My descent into...
despite not getting help from anybody else. For the next eight years, I saw friends die, I saw others go to prison and inflict untold pain
Video examples
Brown Bear Attack PIPE...
only imagine the horrific damage brown bears inflict in an attack without this cage to protect me I'd stand no chance
Video examples
The surprising decline...
there is a widespread sentiment that life is cheap. In earlier times, when suffering and early death were common in one's own life, one has fewer compunctions about inflicting them on others. And as technology and economic efficiency make life longer and more pleasant, one puts a higher value on life in general.
Video examples
The difference between...
It's part of being human. In its worst form, the harm we inflict on loved ones shows up as abuse and violence, and relationship abuse is something that one in three women and one in four men will experience in their lifetime. Now, if you're like most people, when you hear those stats,
Video examples
The benefits of good...
impair your body's ability to deal with the forces on it. Poor posture inflicts extra wear and tear on your joints and ligaments, increases the likelihood of accidents, and makes some organs, like your lungs, less efficient. Researchers have linked poor posture to scoliosis,
Video examples
Shark Attack! PIPE National...
recapture the shark he reaches down with a hook stick and hooks the shark again in the mouth of course the shark does what any animal would do to protect itself it comes back and turns immediately toward the closest target that it imagines has inflicted this pain
Video examples
Finding the transformativ...
actually helped me do these pictures which with the aid of stencils a little you know we can actually make photographs with living cells this thing is not really working you know and what we were trying to do we're trying to inflict some kind of a comfortable
Video examples
Rethinking infidelity...
But even more important, is to curb the curiosity to mine for the sordid details -- Where were you? Where did you do it? How often? Is she better than me in bed? -- questions that only inflict more pain, and keep you awake at night.
Video examples
Peter Singer: The why...
I'm pleased to say that there is now also a website looking at effective animal organizations. That's another cause that I've been concerned about all my life, the immense amount of suffering that humans inflict
Video examples
Giant Carnivorous...
less fortunate monitor lizards which may win them a few friends razor-sharp teeth and germ-laden saliva can inflict life-threatening wounds but water monitors rarely bite humans
Video examples
My descent into...
despite not getting help from anybody else. For the next eight years, I saw friends die, I saw others go to prison and inflict untold pain
Video examples
Brown Bear Attack PIPE...
only imagine the horrific damage brown bears inflict in an attack without this cage to protect me I'd stand no chance
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Tavi Gevinson
American Writer
I think that when you make yourself vulnerable, the thing that you do next is better. It's not like you have to inflict pain on yourself in order to make yourself better, but I think it helps. The thing that bonds you to a new friend isn't that you went to a really fun party; it's 'cause you had a really weird, sad conversation.
Quote examples
Irwin Shaw
American Novelist
An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment the world hands out and the punishment he inflicts upon himself.
Quote examples
Julian Baggini
British Author
The simplest and clearest motivation for taking animal welfare seriously is the recognition that pain is in and of itself a bad thing, and that to inflict significant amounts of it unnecessarily is wrong.
Quote examples
Gillian Flynn
American Author
I am a great believer in jobs for teens. They teach important life lessons, build character, and inflict just the right amount of humiliation necessary for future success in the working world.
Quote examples
Hjalmar Schacht
German Economist
But the memory of war weighs undiminished upon the people's minds. That is because deeper than material wounds, moral wounds are smarting, inflicted by the so- called peace treaties.
Quote examples
Marianne Williamson
American Author
Forgiveness is not always easy. At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, to forgive the one that inflicted it. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.
Quote examples
Megan Phelps-Roper
American Activist
We know that we've done and said things that hurt people. Inflicting pain on others wasn't the goal, but it was one of the outcomes. We wish it weren't so, and regret that hurt.
Quote examples
Pervez Musharraf
Pakistani Statesman
Who has suffered? The families of the dead, no doubt. But a greater loss was inflicted on Pakistan because, as I said, we lost the pillars of our society.
Quote examples
Gary L. Francione
American Educator
Because animals are property, we consider as 'humane treatment' that we would regard as torture if it were inflicted on humans.
Quote examples
Mos Def
American Musician
I don't hate nobody. I hate certain conditions that are inflicted upon the people - and they're helpless with it.
Quote examples
Tavi Gevinson
American Writer
I think that when you make yourself vulnerable, the thing that you do next is better. It's not like you have to inflict pain on yourself in order to make yourself better, but I think it helps. The thing that bonds you to a new friend isn't that you went to a really fun party; it's 'cause you had a really weird, sad conversation.
Quote examples
Irwin Shaw
American Novelist
An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment the world hands out and the punishment he inflicts upon himself.
Quote examples
Julian Baggini
British Author
The simplest and clearest motivation for taking animal welfare seriously is the recognition that pain is in and of itself a bad thing, and that to inflict significant amounts of it unnecessarily is wrong.
Quote examples
Gillian Flynn
American Author
I am a great believer in jobs for teens. They teach important life lessons, build character, and inflict just the right amount of humiliation necessary for future success in the working world.
Quote examples
Hjalmar Schacht
German Economist
But the memory of war weighs undiminished upon the people's minds. That is because deeper than material wounds, moral wounds are smarting, inflicted by the so- called peace treaties.
Quote examples
Marianne Williamson
American Author
Forgiveness is not always easy. At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, to forgive the one that inflicted it. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.
Quote examples
Megan Phelps-Roper
American Activist
We know that we've done and said things that hurt people. Inflicting pain on others wasn't the goal, but it was one of the outcomes. We wish it weren't so, and regret that hurt.
Quote examples
Pervez Musharraf
Pakistani Statesman
Who has suffered? The families of the dead, no doubt. But a greater loss was inflicted on Pakistan because, as I said, we lost the pillars of our society.
Quote examples
Gary L. Francione
American Educator
Because animals are property, we consider as 'humane treatment' that we would regard as torture if it were inflicted on humans.
Quote examples
Mos Def
American Musician
I don't hate nobody. I hate certain conditions that are inflicted upon the people - and they're helpless with it.
Example 1 of 10
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