infliction

Infliction is when you subject someone to a difficult or unpleasant experience. The infliction of pain on a little kid who needs to get a shot is not fun for him or for his parents.

The noun infliction is good for talking about imposing something negative on someone. You might describe a bully's actions against a smaller child as including both the infliction of pain and the infliction of fear. The Latin root of infliction is inflictionem, or "a striking against," from inflictus, "to strike or dash against." It's important not to confuse infliction with affliction, which means "something that causes pain," but isn't done on purpose.

Definitions of infliction
  1. noun
    the act of imposing something (as a tax or an embargo)
    synonyms: imposition
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    types:
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    protection, trade protection
    the imposition of duties or quotas on imports in order to protect domestic industry against foreign competition
    regimentation
    the imposition of order or discipline
    reimposition
    imposition again
    taxation
    the imposition of taxes; the practice of the government in levying taxes on the subjects of a state
    type of:
    enforcement
    the act of enforcing; ensuring observance of or obedience to
  2. noun
    an act causing pain or damage
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    actus reus, misconduct, wrongdoing, wrongful conduct
    activity that transgresses moral or civil law
  3. noun
    something or someone that causes trouble; a source of unhappiness
    “he's not a friend, he's an infliction”
    synonyms: annoyance, bother, botheration, pain, pain in the ass, pain in the neck
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    nuisance
    (law) a broad legal concept including anything that disturbs the reasonable use of your property or endangers life and health or is offensive
    irritant, thorn
    something that causes irritation and annoyance
    plague
    an annoyance
    abatable nuisance
    a nuisance that can remedied (suppressed or extinguished or rendered harmless)
    attractive nuisance
    anything on your premises that might attract children into danger or harm
    mixed nuisance
    a nuisance that is both a public nuisance and a private nuisance at the same time
    private nuisance
    a nuisance that interferes with your interest in and private use and enjoyment of your land
    common nuisance, public nuisance
    a nuisance that unreasonably interferes with a right that is common to the general public
    type of:
    negative stimulus
    a stimulus with undesirable consequences
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