Q23
EnglishVocabulary: Meaning, Synonyms & Antonyms
Choose the correct meaning of the word from the alternatives given: 'Affliction'
- a.A deadly disease
- b.A state of pain, distress or grief
- c.A fatal order on a convict
- d.Inability to recognize something terrible or painful
Answer: (B) A state of pain, distress or grief
'Affliction' is a state of pain, suffering, distress or grief, or the thing that causes it, so option B is correct. It is wider than a 'deadly disease' (A): poverty, blindness or bereavement can all be afflictions. Options C and D are invented meanings. Synonyms: suffering, misery, tribulation, woe, adversity; antonyms: comfort, relief, blessing. Usage trap: the verb is 'afflict' (to be afflicted with a disease), which must not be confused with 'inflict', meaning to impose something unpleasant on someone else (to inflict a wound or a penalty).