afflict

Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

af·flict [afflict afflicts afflicted afflicting] BrE [əˈflɪkt] NAmE [əˈflɪkt] verb often passive (formal)
to affect sb/sth in an unpleasant or harmful way
•~ sb/sth Aid will be sent to the afflicted areas.
•Severe drought has afflicted the region.
•be afflicted with sth About 40% of the country's population is afflicted with the disease.
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
late Middle English (in the sense ‘deject, humiliate’): from Latin afflictare ‘knock about, harass’, or from afflict- ‘knocked down, weakened’: both from the verb affligere, from ad- ‘to’ + fligere ‘to strike, dash’.

Example Bank:
•He's badly afflicted with a skin disorder.
•the many problems that afflict the unemployed