Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Usage Contextacademicbusiness

Note: Often confused with "effect".

Editorial Guides For "affect"

Affect vs Effect: Quick Rules and Real Examples

Learn when to use affect or effect in academic, business, and everyday writing.

Affect

//əˈfɛkt// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun

1
A subjective feeling experienced in response to a thought or other stimulus; mood, emotion, especially as demonstrated in external physical signs.
"if we are afraid of robbers in a dream, the robbers are certainly imaginary, but the fear is real. This draws our attention to the fact that the development of affects [translating Affectentwicklung] in dreams is not amenable to the judgement we make of the rest of the dream-content [...]."
2
the conscious subjective aspect of feeling or emotion wordnet
3
One's mood or inclination; mental state. obsolete
4
A desire, an appetite. obsolete

Verb

1
To influence or alter. transitive
"The experience affected me deeply."
2
To make a show of; to put on a pretense of; to feign; to assume. To make a false display of. transitive
"to affect ignorance"
3
act physically on; have an effect upon wordnet
4
To move to emotion. transitive
"He was deeply affected by the tragic ending of the play."
5
To aim for, to try to obtain. obsolete, transitive
"Duke.[...] I loue the people, But doe not like to stage me to their eyes: Though it doe well, I doe not rellish well Their lowd applause, and Aues vehement: Nor doe I thinke the man of safe discretion That do's affect it."

Show 11 more definitions

6
have an effect upon wordnet
7
Of an illness or condition, to infect or harm (a part of the body). transitive
"Hepatitis affects the liver."
8
To feel affection for (someone); to like, be fond of. rare, transitive
"There is a Lady in Verona heere Whom I affect: but she is nice, and coy, And naught esteemes my aged eloquence."
9
make believe with the intent to deceive wordnet
10
To dispose or incline. archaic, transitive
"men whom they thought best affected to religion and their country's liberty"
11
To show a fondness for (something); to choose. obsolete, transitive
"Amongst humane conditions this one is very common, that we are rather pleased with strange things then with our owne; we love changes, affect alterations, and like innovations."
12
have an emotional or cognitive impact upon wordnet
13
To tend to by affinity or disposition. archaic, transitive
"The drops of every fluid affect a round figure."
14
connect closely and often incriminatingly wordnet
15
To assign; to appoint. archaic, transitive
"One of the domestics was affected to his special service."
16
To burden (property) with a fixed charge or payment, or other condition or restriction. transitive

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English affecten, from Latin affectāre, from Latin affectus, the participle stem of Latin afficere (“to act upon, influence, affect, attack with disease”), from ad- + facere (“to make, do”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English affecten, from Anglo-Norman affecter (“strive after”), Middle French affecter (“feign”), and their source, Latin affectāre (“to strive after, aim to do, pursue, imitate with dissimulation, feign”), frequentative of afficere (“to act upon, influence”) (see Etymology 1, above).

Etymology 3

From Middle English affect, from Latin affectus, adfectus (“a state of mind or body produced by some (external) influence, especially sympathy or love”), from afficere (“to act upon, influence”).

Next best steps

Find stronger synonyms See usage examples Check pronunciation

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: affect