stricken
UK: ˈstrɪkən | US: ˈstrɪkən
adj. deeply affected by trouble, illness, or sorrow
adj. (archaic) struck or hit by a weapon, force, or disaster
v. past participle of strike
The word stricken originates from the Old English strican (to stroke, rub, or go), which evolved into Middle English striken (to hit or attack). The past participle suffix -en was commonly used in older forms of English (e.g., broken, spoken). Over time, stricken became associated not only with physical impact but also with emotional or metaphorical "hits," such as grief or disaster. The modern sense retains both literal (e.g., "stricken by lightning") and figurative (e.g., "grief-stricken") meanings.
The village was stricken by a sudden flood.
She looked stricken when she heard the bad news.
The stricken ship slowly sank into the ocean.
He was stricken with guilt after the accident.
The region remains stricken by poverty.