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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for afflictive

Adjective

Be sure to start below the injury and wrap upward, overlapping each layer but never so tightly that fingers or toes become numb or painful.

— Dr. Jill Grimes, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Its absence does not make the eventual adjustment less painful.

— MICHAEL PETTIS, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of painful

Adjective

Meanwhile, Mason Black headed back to the minors and Beck Way returned from his rehab assignment (sore shoulder).

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
But his record of publicly interacting with Piker — including at a pool party just before the primary — remains a sore point among some Michigan Democrats.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 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

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Afflictive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afflictive. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of afflictive

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

conscientious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes