affliction (n.)
- abnormality
- adversity
- affection
- aggravation
- ailment
- allergy
- anguish
- annoyance
- atrophy
- bane
- blight
- bugbear
- bummer
- burden
- calamity
- calvary
- care
- catastrophe
- complaint
- complication
- condition
- cross
- crucible
- curse
- death
- defect
- deformity
- destruction
- difficulty
- disability
- disaster
- disease
- disorder
- distemper
- distress
- dole
- downer
- encumbrance
- endemic
- evil
- gall
- grief
- grievance
- handicap
- hardship
- harm
- heartache
- heartbreak
- illness
- indisposition
- infirmity
- infliction
- irritation
- load
- malady
- malaise
- mischance
- misery
- misfortune
- mishap
- morbidity
- morbus
- nemesis
- oppression
- ordeal
- pain
- pathology
- pest
- pestilence
- plague
- plight
- predicament
- pressure
- regret
- rigor
- rockiness
- rue
- scourge
- seediness
- sickness
- sorrow
- stress
- suffering
- syndrome
- thorn
- torment
- trial
- tribulation
- trouble
- vexation
- vicissitude
- visitation
- weight
- woe
- wretchedness
Affliction may one day smile again; and till then, sit thee down, sorrow!
Now let us thank the Eternal Power: convinced
That Heaven but tries our virtue by affliction,—
That oft the cloud which wraps the present hour
Serves but to brighten all our future days.