stricken
adj.adj. badly affected by something terrible, like a disease, poverty, or a strong emotion. It describes someone or something that is suffering or in a very difficult state.
adj. seriously affected by an undesirable condition or unpleasant feeling. Often used in compound forms or followed by a prepositional phrase to specify the cause of distress.
The stricken ship called for help.
The charity provides emergency food and medical supplies to the drought-stricken region.
He stood there with a stricken expression, unable to process the news that his life's work had been destroyed in a single afternoon.
From Middle English striken, ystriken, from Old English stricen, ġestricen, from Proto-West Germanic strikan, from Proto-Germanic strikanaz, past participle of Proto-Germanic *strīkaną (“to strike”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian strieken, Dutch gestreken, German Low German streken, German gestrichen.
Commonly used in hyphenated compounds (e.g., 'poverty-stricken', 'panic-stricken') or as a predicative adjective following a linking verb.