Standard Lemma guide

inflict

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ɪnˈflɪkt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪkt
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N F L IH1 K T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To thrust upon; to impose.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • They inflicted terrible pains on her to obtain a confession.
  • The enemy's artillery inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy forces.
  • In that case, I won't inflict my company on you any longer.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

impose something unpleasant

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The principal visited his rage on the students

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bring down, visit, impose

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: communicate, intercommunicate

Narrower terms: order, prescribe, dictate, intrude, obtrude, clamp, give, foist

History

Etymology

From Latin īnflīctus, from in- + flīctus, past participle of īnflīgō (“to knock or strike against”), from in- + flīgō (“strike”) (whence in-).

Across languages

Translations

23 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: причинявам (pričinjavam) — thrust upon, impose
  • Bulgarian: налагам (nalagam) — thrust upon, impose
  • Catalan: infligir — thrust upon, impose
  • Finnish: aiheuttaa — thrust upon, impose
  • Finnish: tuottaa — thrust upon, impose
  • French: infliger — thrust upon, impose
  • Galician: inflixir — thrust upon, impose
  • German: zufügen — thrust upon, impose
  • German: verhängen — thrust upon, impose
  • Ancient Greek: ἐπιτίθημι (epitíthēmi) — thrust upon, impose
  • Italian: infliggere — thrust upon, impose
  • Italian: comminare — thrust upon, impose
  • Latin: infligo — thrust upon, impose
  • Persian: دچار کردن (dočâr kardan) — thrust upon, impose
  • Persian: تحمیل کردن (tahmil kardan) — thrust upon, impose
  • Portuguese: infligir — thrust upon, impose
  • Russian: наноси́ть (nanosítʹ) — thrust upon, impose
  • Russian: причиня́ть (pričinjátʹ) — thrust upon, impose
  • Russian: налага́ть (nalagátʹ) — thrust upon, impose
  • Spanish: infligir — thrust upon, impose
  • Turkish: çarptırmak — thrust upon, impose
  • Turkish: çektirmek — thrust upon, impose
  • Turkish: uğratmak — thrust upon, impose