inflict

Everyday

1. To inflict something bad, like pain, harm, damage or punishment, is to make someone or something suffer it. tree →
2. (humorous) To inflict something on someone is to make them put up with something unwanted, like bad singing. tree →

In the lessons

A formal word in news, history and safety: storms inflict damage, armies inflict defeats, people must not inflict pain on animals. It tells the reader who caused the harm. Phrases: inflict damage on, inflict pain on, inflict a defeat, self-inflicted.

Examples

• The storm inflicted serious damage on the town. tree →
• It is cruel to inflict pain on animals. tree →
• The team inflicted a heavy defeat on their rivals. tree →
• The punishment inflicted on the thief was a big fine. tree →
• Dad inflicted his terrible jokes on us all through dinner. tree →
• The wound was self-inflicted — he cut himself by accident. tree →
• The hail inflicted damage on the cars. tree →
• Then there was the dancer, who inflicted the wound which has caused me to be here now; she was very violent! tree →

Note

Always «inflict something on/upon someone». Regular verb: inflicted. Noun: infliction. Do not confuse with «afflict» (to make someone suffer; the illness afflicts the person, but the person inflicts harm on someone).