What does inflict mean?

Definitions for inflict
ɪnˈflɪktin·flict

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word inflict.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. inflict, bring down, visit, imposeverb

    impose something unpleasant

    "The principal visited his rage on the students"

Wiktionary

  1. inflictverb

    To thrust upon; to impose.

    They inflicted terrible pains on her to obtain a confession.

  2. Etymology: * From Latin infligere, from in-, + fligere, "to strike".

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. To INFLICTverb

    To put in act or impose as a punishment.

    Etymology: infligo, inflictus, Latin; infliger, Fr.

    I know no pain, they can inflict upon him,
    Will make him say I mov'd him to those arms. William Shakespeare.

    Sufficient is this punishment which was inflicted. 2 Cor. ii.

    What the potent victor in his rage
    Can else inflict. John Milton.

    What heart could wish, what hand inflict this dire disgrace? John Dryden, Æn. b. vi.

    By diseases we condemn ourselves to greater torments than have been yet invented by anger or revenge, or inflicted by the greatest tyrants upon the worst of men. William Temple.

ChatGPT

  1. inflict

    Inflict is a verb that generally refers to causing or imposing something unwelcome, harmful, or unpleasant to someone or something, such as pain, injury, damage or certain punishment.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Inflictverb

    to give, cause, or produce by striking, or as if by striking; to apply forcibly; to lay or impose; to send; to cause to bear, feel, or suffer; as, to inflict blows; to inflict a wound with a dagger; to inflict severe pain by ingratitude; to inflict punishment on an offender; to inflict the penalty of death on a criminal

  2. Etymology: [L. inflictus, p. p. of infligere to strike on, to inflict; pref. in- in, on + fligere to strike. Cf. Flail.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Inflict

    in-flikt′, v.t. to lay on: to impose, as punishment.—n. Inflic′tion, act of inflicting or imposing: punishment applied.—adj. Inflict′ive, tending or able to inflict. [L. inflictus, infligĕrein, against, fligĕre, to strike.]

Suggested Resources

  1. Inflict

    Inflict vs. Afflict -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Inflict and Afflict.

British National Corpus

  1. Verbs Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'inflict' in Verbs Frequency: #1076

How to pronounce inflict?

How to say inflict in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of inflict in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of inflict in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of inflict in a Sentence

  1. Gloria Allred:

    In reference to the issue raised by the defense in their joint letter report to the court today of their plan to challenge the constitutionality of what we call the ‘ lookback ’ provision in California, that is a major issue, they say they plan to challenge the constitutionality of the new law. If the new law was decided by a court – and ultimately that will have to be a decision most likely all the way up to the Supreme Court of California – to be unconstitutional, that is going to inflict significant harm potentially on many victims of child sexual abuse in California.

  2. Danielle Weston:

    The vicious censure resolutions to strip Trustee Mary Bone and me of the powers and duties bestowed upon us by the voters is a naked political hit job, the majority on the board are diverting taxpayer dollars and manpower away from students and teachers to destroy our reputations and inflict financial pain.

  3. Deputy Prime Minister Marwan Muasher:

    The aim was to inflict the largest number of casualties.

  4. President Obama:

    Just as we're all connected like never before, we have to work together like never before, both to seize opportunities but also meet the challenges of this information age, it's one of the great paradoxes of our time that the very technologies that empower us to do great good can also be used to undermine us and inflict great harm.

  5. Alexis de Tocqueville:

    In democratic ages men rarely sacrifice themselves for another, but they show a general compassion for all the human race. One never sees them inflict pointless suffering, and they are glad to relieve the sorrows of others when they can do so without much trouble to themselves. They are not disinterested, but they are gentle.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

inflict#10000#34028#100000

Translations for inflict

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

Get even more translations for inflict »

Translation

Find a translation for the inflict definition in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Word of the Day

Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?

Please enter your email address:


Citation

Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"inflict." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/inflict>.

Discuss these inflict definitions with the community:

0 Comments

    Are we missing a good definition for inflict? Don't keep it to yourself...

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Browse Definitions.net

    Quiz

    Are you a words master?

    »
    a hazy or indistinct representation
    A adventure
    B signify
    C blur
    D deny

    Nearby & related entries:

    Alternative searches for inflict: