Word
Definition
v. to force someone to experience something very unpleasant or painful. You use this when someone causes suffering or damage to another person or group.
v. to cause something unpleasant, such as pain, suffering, or a penalty, to be endured by someone or something. Transitive; typically implies a forced or unwelcome imposition.
Examples
“The storm will inflict heavy damage on the coastal towns.”
“The new tax laws will inflict significant financial hardship on small business owners across the region.”
“Historians argue that the harsh reparations imposed after the war did more to inflict long-term psychological trauma on the population than to ensure lasting peace.”
Examples
simple
“The storm will inflict heavy damage on the coastal towns.”
contextual
“The new tax laws will inflict significant financial hardship on small business owners across the region.”
complex
“Historians argue that the harsh reparations imposed after the war did more to inflict long-term psychological trauma on the population than to ensure lasting peace.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “inflict” in context.
Verb
01. inflict a heavy defeat
“The underdog team managed to inflict a heavy defeat on the reigning champions.”
verb + adj + noun
02. inflict casualties
“Modern drone strikes are designed to inflict casualties while minimizing risk to pilots.”
verb + noun
03. inflict damage on the environment
“The industrial spill inflicted severe damage on the local environment.”
verb + noun + prep + adj + noun
04. inflict pain on others
“Psychopaths often feel no remorse when they inflict pain on others.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Noun
05. power to inflict punishment
“The magistrate has the power to inflict punishment according to the severity of the crime.”
noun + infinitive
06. threat to inflict injury
“He was arrested after making a credible threat to inflict injury on his coworkers.”
noun + infinitive
Adverb
07. deliberately inflict harm
“The prosecution argued that the defendant deliberately inflicted harm on the victim.”
adv + verb + noun
08. wantonly inflict suffering
“The dictator was accused of wantonly inflicting suffering on his own people.”
adv + verb + noun
Usage
The verb is transitive and frequently takes the preposition 'on' or 'upon' before the recipient of the action.
Pitfall
to inflict pain to someone
to inflict pain on someone
Inflict typically pairs with the preposition 'on' or 'upon' rather than 'to'.
Real-World Examples
“As for economic pressure, Tehran has shown it can inflict economic damage of its own by disrupting traffic transiting Hormuz, Slavin said.” “Photograph: Danilo Arnone/Reuters “The overnight theft is a wound inflicted on the historical memory and cultural identity of the city of Messina,” she added.” “Some are at risk of going bust, and the reputational blow to the sector inflicted by this scandal can only make the situation worse.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin īnflīctus, past participle of īnflīgō, from in- + flīgō (“strike”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/inflict
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0