Affects — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ə-ˈfekt/ (verb) /ˈa-ˌfekt/ (noun) af·fect

Meaning & Definition of Affects

Affects (verb)

  1. to produce an effect upon (someone or something):
  2. to act on and cause a change in (someone or something)
  3. to cause illness, symptoms, etc., in (someone or something)
  4. to put on a false appearance of (something), to pretend to feel, have, or do (something), feign
  5. to often or usually wear or have (something), to be given to (a preferred style of dress, speech, etc.)
  6. to make a display of liking or using (something), to ostentatiously cultivate or claim (a quality, attitude, etc.)

Affects (noun)

  1. a set of observable manifestations of an experienced emotion, the facial expressions, gestures, postures, vocal intonations, etc., that typically accompany an emotion
  2. the conscious emotion that occurs in reaction to a thought or experience
  3. feeling, affection

Affects (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response

    "their son claims that scary movies don't affect him in the least"

    similar: impacts, impresses, influences, moves, reaches, strikes, sways, tells (on), touches, gets to
    related: carries away, dazzles, enraptures, enthralls, entrances, ravishes, transports, biases, colors, inspires, stirs, engages, interests, involves, penetrates, pierces, afflicts, agitates, bothers, concerns, discomforts, discomposes, disquiets, distresses, disturbs, flusters, harasses, harries, perturbs, pesters, plagues, smites, strains, stresses, tries, troubles, upsets, worries, wrings, allures, attracts, bewitches, captivates, charms, enchants, fascinates
    near: bores, jades, palls, tires, wearies, underwhelms

  2. to be the business or affair of

    "fortunately, hurricane season doesn't affect the West Coast"

    similar: concerns, involves, touches
    related: appertains (to), applies (to), bears (on), pertains (to), refers (to), relates (to), embroils, ensnares, entangles, implicates

  3. to present a false appearance of

    "she affected complete unawareness that we were talking about her, though she must have overheard"

    similar: acts, assumes, bluffs, counterfeits, dissembles, fakes, feigns, passes (for), pretends, professes, puts on, shams, simulates, makes believe
    related: dissimulates, impersonates, lets on, masquerades, playacts, plays, poses, forges, imitates, camouflages, conceals, disguises, masks, feints, malingers

  4. to go to or spend time in often

    "a power couple known to affect all the fancy parties in town"

    similar: frequents, habituates, hangs (at), haunts, resorts (to), visits
    related: patronizes, attends, takes in, infests, invades, overruns, swarms, calls (on or upon), drops by, drops in, pops (in), runs (in), stops (by or in), camps (out in), sojourns (at), stays (at), stops (over), tarries (in)
    opposite: avoids, shuns
    near: dodges, ducks, eludes, escapes, eschews, evades, shakes

Related Entry: Affect (verb)

Affect is a different word from Affects. The synonyms below are for affect, not for affects.

  1. to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response

    "their son claims that scary movies don't affect him in the least"

    similar: impact, impress, influence, move, reach, strike, sway, tell (on), touch, get to
    related: carry away, dazzle, enrapture, entrance, enthrall, ravish, transport, bias, color, inspire, stir, engage, interest, involve, penetrate, pierce, afflict, agitate, bother, concern, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, disturb, fluster, harass, harry, perturb, pester, plague, smite, strain, stress, trouble, try, upset, worry, wring, allure, attract, bewitch, captivate, charm, enchant, fascinate
    near: bore, jade, pall, tire, weary, underwhelm

  2. to be the business or affair of

    "fortunately, hurricane season doesn't affect the West Coast"

    similar: concern, involve, touch
    related: appertain (to), apply (to), bear (on), pertain (to), refer (to), relate (to), embroil, ensnare, entangle, implicate

Related Entry: Affect (verb)

Affect is a different word from Affects. The synonyms below are for affect, not for affects.

  1. to present a false appearance of

    "she affected complete unawareness that we were talking about her, though she must have overheard"

    similar: act, assume, bluff, counterfeit, dissemble, fake, feign, pass (for), pretend, profess, put on, sham, simulate, make believe
    related: dissimulate, impersonate, let on, masquerade, play, playact, pose, forge, imitate, camouflage, conceal, disguise, mask, feint, malinger

  2. to go to or spend time in often

    "a power couple known to affect all the fancy parties in town"

    similar: frequent, habituate, hang (at), haunt, resort (to), visit
    related: patronize, attend, take in, infest, invade, overrun, swarm, call (on or upon), drop by, drop in, pop (in), run (in), stop (by or in), camp (out in), sojourn (at), stay (at), stop (over), tarry (in)
    opposite: avoid, shun
    near: dodge, duck, elude, escape, eschew, evade, shake

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Affects

The most common words with a similar meaning to Affects:

impacts, impresses, influences, moves, reaches, strikes, sways, tells (on), touches, concerns, involves, gets to, acts, assumes, bluffs, counterfeits, dissembles, fakes, feigns, passes (for), pretends, professes, puts on, shams, simulates, frequents, habituates, hangs (at), haunts, resorts (to), visits, makes believe

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Affects

Words with the opposite meaning of Affects:

avoids, shuns

Related Words for Affects

carries away, dazzles, enraptures, enthralls, entrances, ravishes, transports, biases, colors, inspires, stirs, engages, interests, penetrates, pierces, afflicts, agitates, bothers, discomforts, discomposes, disquiets, distresses, disturbs, flusters, harasses, harries, perturbs, pesters, plagues, smites

Near Antonyms of Affects

bores, jades, palls, tires, wearies, underwhelms, dodges, ducks, eludes, escapes, eschews, evades, shakes

Word Forms of Affects

Inflections: affected, affecting

Derived words: affectability (noun), affectable (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Affects

Middle English affecten, borrowed from Latin affectus, past participle of afficere "to produce an effect on, exert an influence on," from ad- ad- + facere "to do, make, bring about" fact

First known use: 15th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Affects

What does "Affects" mean?

"Affects" means to produce an effect upon (someone or something):. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to produce an effect upon (someone or something):. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Affects"?

Other words for "Affects" include impacts, impresses, influences, moves, reaches, strikes, sways and tells (on). The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Affects" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Affects"?

There are 119 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Affects". Common alternatives include impacts, impresses, influences, moves, reaches, strikes, sways, tells (on), touches and concerns.

What is the opposite of "Affects"?

Antonyms of "Affects" include avoids and shuns. Near antonyms include bores, jades, palls and tires.

How do you use "Affects" in a sentence?

Examples of "Affects" in a sentence: "their son claims that scary movies don't affect him in the least"; "fortunately, hurricane season doesn't affect the West Coast"; "she affected complete unawareness that we were talking about her, though she must have overheard".

Is "Affects" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Affects" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Affects"?

"Affects" is pronounced /ə-ˈfekt/ as a verb and /ˈa-ˌfekt/ as a noun and divided into syllables as af·fect.

What is the origin of the word "Affects"?

"Affects" comes from Middle English affecten, borrowed from Latin affectus, past participle of afficere "to produce an effect on, exert an influence on," from ad- ad- + facere "to do, make, bring about" fact. First known use: 15th century.