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inflict Definition

in·flict (in flikt′)

transitive verb

  1. to give or cause (pain, wounds, etc.) by or as by striking; cause to be borne
  2. to impose (a punishment, disagreeable task, etc. on or upon)

Etymology: < L inflictus, pp. of infligere, to strike or beat against < in-, on, against + fligere, to strike < IE base *bhlī-, to strike > Welsh blif, catapult

inflict Related Forms

in·flict′er noun or in·flic′·tor in·flic′·tive adjective

inflict Synonyms

inflict

v.

  1. To deal

    deliver, mete out, deal out, strike, do to, perpetrate, dispense, give out, wreak, bring down upon, lay on, administer; see also cause 2.

  2. To impose

    force upon, apply, exact, visit; see force 1, require 2.

inflict Usage Examples

Object

  • wound: They may enter into the skin, inflicting wounds on the area affected.
  • defeat: Still, the Lords have inflicted defeat four, keeping the cards voluntary.
  • punishment: The throwing of placards by the Young Socialists provoked the RUC without damaging its capacity to inflict punishment on the crowd.
  • casualty: War will inflict terrifying casualties on the Iraqi military.
  • suffering: Have we the right to inflict suffering on others?
  • cruelty: The privilege granted to religious bodies alone to inflict this cruelty should not be tolerated in a humane society.

Preposition: on

  • civilian: He was probably the first photographer to bring home the horror that war inflicts on civilians.
  • animal: The misery inflicted on these animals at HLS should not be allowed in a civilized society.
  • enemy: The oppressed cannot hope to inflict on the enemy the kind of material damage that will force the oppressor to back off.
  • nation: The Irish have suffered one of the great diaspora ever inflicted on a nation.
  • population: No general penalties may be inflicted on populations on account of acts of individuals for which they cannot be held jointly responsible.
  • people: For the same disastrous policies are being inflicted on people here in Britain.

Used with why or when

when: The killer blow was then inflicted when Phoenix left winger tried to run the ball from his own half just before the break.

Present participle complement

suffer: Yet that is ultimately what war means: being prepared to kill other people and inflict suffering on them.

Modifying Another Word

  • intentionally: The moral principle being applied is that in man's relations with other creatures it is wrong to intentionally inflict unnecessary suffering.
  • thus: Someone may have committed an error and led to great loss of life or great financial loss, thus inflicting severe harm on others.
  • ever: The Irish have suffered one of the great diaspora ever inflicted on a nation.
  • already: This cut has already inflicted some damage and any further reduction in the future would result in much greater damage to research capacity.
  • often: And the damage such pesticides often inflict on local wildlife can be almost as severe.
  • even: Calder failed miserably to destroy the French, nor even inflict very serious damage on them.