as in to impose
to cause someone to accept or experience something unwanted
The criminal inflicted a lifetime of distress on his unsuspecting victims.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inflict
Directly inflicting environmental damage on a neighboring nation for years at a time is a hostile act under international law.
—
U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
Neither are the hauntings inflicted upon us by our pasts.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025
Since then, both sides have claimed to have inflicted significant losses on the other.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2025
The pain inflicted on constituents by Trump’s tariff policy has driven six more Republicans to join Grassley as supporters of the bill.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflict
U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
Neither are the hauntings inflicted upon us by our pasts.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025
Since then, both sides have claimed to have inflicted significant losses on the other.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2025
The pain inflicted on constituents by Trump’s tariff policy has driven six more Republicans to join Grassley as supporters of the bill.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflict
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflict
Verb
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Trump defended his decision to impose tariffs, saying that the trade situation with U.S. partners was unsustainable and that someone needed to act.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Apr. 2025
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The suspension also does not extend to industry-specific tariffs that Trump imposed on steel, aluminum and auto imports.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The debris – space rocks known as meteoroids – collides with Earth's atmosphere at high speed and disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky, according to NASA.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
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The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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However, no amount of care or good intentions can prevent the sudden demolition of the brothers’ home, courtesy of a vague order from the IDF — for which the family is even forced to pay.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
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Kosminsky’s latest intervention comes as UK Parliament’s Culture, Media & Sport Committee recommended that, if the industry can’t design its own scheme, the government should force the likes of Netflix to pay a 5% revenue levy into a cultural fund that supports local high-end TV production.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Billionaire Trump backer: Wait 90 days before bringing 'hammer down' on China Billionaire investor Bill Ackman, a Trump supporter now at odds with the president over tariffs, called April 13 for a three-month pause on China.—
John Bacon,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2025
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Perry shared a series of photographs of Lucio growing up: at 3 months, 7 months, and a year old, with his hair getting longer and curlier each time, before bringing the now 18-month-old Lucio into the video.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inflict.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflict. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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