AFFLICTIVE Synonyms: 44 Similar and Opposite Words

afflictive

adjective

ə-ˈflik-tiv

Definition of afflictive

as in painful

causing or feeling bodily pain the afflictive disease known as shingles is a reactivation of the virus that causes chicken pox

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for afflictive

Adjective

Some things are too painful for words, and Crystal knows that sense cannot be made from senselessness.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Once people expect benefits, cutting them off is politically painful.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of painful

Adjective

The vaccine’s side effects were mainly the sore arm, fatigue and other reactions typical of mRNA coronavirus vaccination, MD Anderson's Tawbi said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
The vaccine’s side effects were mainly the sore arm, fatigue and other reactions typical of mRNA coronavirus vaccination, Tawbi said.

— Lauren Neergaard, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of sore

Adjective

The homestretch of the drama, however, takes the story in a chilling direction, packing an aching quantity of feeling into a single glance at a security camera as someone climbs into a car and leaves the compound, never to be heard from again.

— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 26 May 2026
Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain (1997) Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain is an aching, tender slow burn shaped by absence.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026

Definition of aching

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

afflictions

afflictive

afflicts

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“Afflictive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afflictive. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of afflictive

adjective

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