inflicted; inflicting; inflicts
1
a
: to give by or as if by striking
inflict a painful sting
inflict damage
b
: to cause (something unpleasant) to be endured
… inflict my annual message upon the church itself if it might derive benefit thereby.—
Mark Twain
Mark Twain2
: afflict
Examples of inflict in a Sentence
These insects are capable of inflicting a painful sting.
Recent Examples on the Web
Israel has regularly dropped 1,000-pound and 2,000-pound bombs on Lebanon, according to analysis of aftermath imagery by weapons experts, inflicting catastrophic damage to neighborhoods and towns.
—Allegra Goodwin and Tamara Qiblawi, CNN, 2 Nov. 2024
Apart from Bugatti, few great French cars ever came stateside, save perhaps the Citroën SM (whose model name suggests the pain that car can inflict on its long-suffering owner).
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 1 Nov. 2024
In response to this Iranian strike, Israel bombed military and space targets within Iran on Saturday, inflicting damage to the Shahroud base, run by Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard, a powerful entity within Iran's theocratic structure.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
Oftentimes, older children were forced to inflict punishment on their younger classmates.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for inflict 
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.
Allegra Goodwin and Tamara Qiblawi, CNN, 2 Nov. 2024
Apart from Bugatti, few great French cars ever came stateside, save perhaps the Citroën SM (whose model name suggests the pain that car can inflict on its long-suffering owner).
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 1 Nov. 2024
In response to this Iranian strike, Israel bombed military and space targets within Iran on Saturday, inflicting damage to the Shahroud base, run by Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard, a powerful entity within Iran's theocratic structure.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
Oftentimes, older children were forced to inflict punishment on their younger classmates.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for inflict
Dictionary Entries Near inflict
Cite this Entry
“Inflict.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inflict. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inflict
verb
in·flict
in-ˈflikt 
1
: to give by or as if by striking
inflict a wound
2
: to cause (something damaging or painful) to be endured
inflict punishment
infliction
noun
-ˈflik-shən
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share