Inflict Meaning
/ɪnˈflɪkt/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo thrust upon; to impose.
Sentence Examples
You should not inflict any injury on others on any account.
Was it necessary to inflict such a punishment on him?
CEFR Practice Quiz
The angry general ordered his soldiers to ____ punishment on the captured rebels.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The general did not want to ____ unnecessary suffering on the innocent people of the city.
Word Origin & History
From Latin īnflīctus, from in- + flīctus, past participle of īnflīgō (“to knock or strike against”), from in- + flīgō (“strike”) (whence in-).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Now Azaēlos, the king of Syria, made war on the Israelites and their king Jehu, and ravaged the eastern parts of the country across the Jordan […] spreading fire everywhere and plundering everything and inflicting violence on all who fell into his hands."
— 1937, Josephus, Ralph Marcus, transl., chapter VIII, in Josephus: With an English Translation (Loeb Classical Library), volume VI (Jewish Antiquities), London: William Heinemann Ltd.; Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, published 1958, →OCLC, book IX, paragraph 1, page 87:
"This allowed me to continue inflicting this injury on myself long after I otherwise could have beared^([sic]), I think."
— 2011 June 15, Tony White, Working with Suicidal Individuals: A Guide to Providing Understanding, Assessment and Support, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, →ISBN, page 87:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The angry general ordered his soldiers to ____ punishment on the captured rebels.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The general did not want to ____ unnecessary suffering on the innocent people of the city.