inflicts

verb

present tense third-person singular of inflict
as in imposes
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

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.
Recent Examples of inflicts In the end, the young cockroaches proved so resilient because Modi’s regime of control had no punishment or humiliation to threaten them with beyond what the system already inflicts on them every day. — Asim Ali, Time, 1 Aug. 2026 The media usually get Black femicide wrong Another problem surrounding intimate partner homicide inflicts its harms after death. — Sativa Banks, The Conversation, 4 June 2026 Instead of providing convenience, services and consumption, the regime only inflicts repression, intrusion and censorship. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 16 May 2026 Boiling water acts as a contact herbicide that inflicts thermal shock on the weeds' plant cells. — David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 16 May 2026 These arrests also take officers off the streets for hours to process these arrests, which inflicts a financial toll on the CPD’s overtime budget. — Silvana Tabares, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026 There is also a growing body of credible evidence showing how EdTech inflicts emotional, cognitive, physical, and developmental harms on children, adolescents, and young adults, while displacing the human relationships that are essential to healthy human development and well-being. — Dr. Timothy Scott, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2026 The focus here is squarely on her mother, another survivor who inflicts her own share of damage along the way. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026 Scott inflicts Ohm’s nonchalant meanness with a piercingly perverse matter-of-factness that places the character as far away as possible from the realm of likeability. — Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflicts
  1. imposes
  2. creates
  3. brings
Verb
  • Failing to update one's self-concept imposes significant costs on organizations, as teams navigate a leader's blind spots.
    — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • The law imposes prison sentences of five to 10 years for compelling a person to present as transgender against their will.
    — Aakash Hassan, Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2026
Definition of imposes
Verb
  • The contact with the hot metal creates steam that instantly breaks down and lifts baked-on grease and food debris.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • This urban concentration creates hidden local impacts, including wildly uneven regional carbon emissions depending on whether the local grid relies on fossil fuels or green energy.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of creates
Verb
  • The latter is a very eccentric and memorable fighter who always brings tons of energy into the Octagon.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Tony Dalton brings impressive menace to a superficially affable sheriff, and Laura Donnelly strikes the perfect balance between femme fatale and innocent love interest.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of brings

Browse Nearby Words

inflicting
inflicts
inflow
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Cite this Entry

“Inflicts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflicts. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of inflicts for Spanish Speakers

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