AFFECT Synonyms: 135 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'affect' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of affect are assume , counterfeit , feign , pretend , sham , and simulate . While all these words mean "to put on a false or deceptive appearance," affect implies making a false show of possessing, using, or feeling. // affected an interest in art

Q: When is 'assume' a more appropriate choice than 'affect'?

The meanings of assume and affect largely overlap; however, assume often implies a justifiable motive rather than an intent to deceive. // assumed an air of cheerfulness around the patients

Q: When could 'counterfeit' be used to replace 'affect'?

While in some cases nearly identical to affect , counterfeit implies achieving the highest degree of verisimilitude of any of these words. // an actor counterfeiting drunkenness

Q: How does the word 'feign' relate to other synonyms for 'affect'?

Feign implies more artful invention than pretend , less specific mimicry than simulate . // feigned sickness

Q: When is it sensible to use 'pretend' instead of 'affect'?

The words pretend and affect are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, pretend implies an overt and sustained false appearance. // pretended that nothing had happened

Q: When would 'sham' be a good substitute for 'affect'?

In some situations, the words sham and affect are roughly equivalent. However, sham implies an obvious falseness that fools only the gullible. // shammed a most unconvincing limp

Q: When might 'simulate' be a better fit than 'affect'?

The synonyms simulate and affect are sometimes interchangeable, but simulate suggests a close imitation of the appearance of something. // cosmetics that simulate a suntan

affect 1 of 2

verb (1)

ə-ˈfekt

Definition of affect

as in to influence

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to involve

to be the business or affair of fortunately, hurricane season doesn't affect the West Coast

Synonyms & Similar Words

affect

2 of 2

verb (2)

ˈa-ˌfekt

as in to simulate

to present a false appearance of she affected complete unawareness that we were talking about her, though she must have overheard

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in to haunt

to go to or spend time in often a power couple known to affect all the fancy parties in town

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb affect contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of affect are assume, counterfeit, feign, pretend, sham, and simulate. While all these words mean "to put on a false or deceptive appearance," affect implies making a false show of possessing, using, or feeling.

affected an interest in art

When is assume a more appropriate choice than affect?

The meanings of assume and affect largely overlap; however, assume often implies a justifiable motive rather than an intent to deceive.

assumed an air of cheerfulness around the patients

When could counterfeit be used to replace affect?

While in some cases nearly identical to affect, counterfeit implies achieving the highest degree of verisimilitude of any of these words.

an actor counterfeiting drunkenness

How does the word feign relate to other synonyms for affect?

Feign implies more artful invention than pretend, less specific mimicry than simulate.

feigned sickness

When is it sensible to use pretend instead of affect?

The words pretend and affect are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, pretend implies an overt and sustained false appearance.

pretended that nothing had happened

When would sham be a good substitute for affect?

In some situations, the words sham and affect are roughly equivalent. However, sham implies an obvious falseness that fools only the gullible.

shammed a most unconvincing limp

When might simulate be a better fit than affect?

The synonyms simulate and affect are sometimes interchangeable, but simulate suggests a close imitation of the appearance of something.

cosmetics that simulate a suntan

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of affect

Verb

Cortisol and corticosterone hormones are responsible for the regulation of energy balance, metabolism, and immunoregulation, which may explain why introducing cortisol affected glucose regulation in the sharks. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026 Grégoire expressed his support for the people of Paris, those protesting peacefully, business owners affected by the violence, and those mobilized to ensure safety in the city. — Elina Baudier Kim, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026 Parsons will not play against his old team, and his absence from the Packers’ defense only affects the storylines, not the actual game. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2026 Paulo could not name the companies affected by the decision or where the jobs are located. — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for affect

Recent Examples of Synonyms for affect

Verb

All the pieces felt artisanal and unexpected, and downright couture level, which will continue to influence trends across the markets.

— Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Semafor reported in 2023 on extensive, leaked Iranian government communications that revealed Iranian attempts to influence US politics.

— Ben Smith, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of influence

Verb

Federal law enforcement had launched more than 100 investigations into crimes in which Tren de Aragua members are involved, as of late 2024, according to an NBC report.

— Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
The character was killed in a helicopter crash in Amritsar, Indian that also involved the Indian Prime Minister.

— Peter White, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of involve

Verb

Its use during the exercise simulated an attack against an opposing naval force.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Principled Technologies' WebXPRT 4 browser test uses HTML5, JavaScript, and WebAssembly workloads to simulate tasks ranging from photo enhancement and OCR scans to sales graphs and online homework.

— Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of simulate

Verb

Squandering slumping Shohei Ohtani’s single — a Sho-poke to left-center field that was just his third hit in these playoffs — is going to haunt them.

— Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
This savage bit of theatre comes back to haunt Fahrenberg when the tree intended for Georg remains unoccupied.

— Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of haunt

Verb

More efficient and cheaper Cold spots in buildings tend to cause young chickens to cluster together for warmth, which can impact growth and welfare.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
But those inputs and energy bills are not the only factors impacting shoe prices.

— Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of impact

Verb

As for Adebayo, the Heat doesn’t seem to concerned about his groin issue.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
Unions are concerned the bots — which Simbe claims can save employees up to 50 hours of work per week — could put human employees out of work.

— Ella Chakarian, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of concern

Verb

Lee ingratiates himself by pretending to be interested in becoming a CO himself — attracted to the manliness and the glamor.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
In a news release, police said that 25-year-old Baldwin Park resident Juan Carlos Amaya contacted the teenage girl via Snapchat and began talking to her while pretending to be 17 years old.

— Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of pretend

Verb

Investigators also discovered that Alfozan had used a workplace productivity tool to research company buildings, conference room locations, meeting schedules, and areas frequented by executives.

— Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
This was the neighborhood where Jack the Ripper frequented and killed many of his victims and Merrick has been considered a potential Ripper by certain sections of the internet.

— Peter White, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of frequent

Browse Nearby Words

affairs

affect

affectation

See all Nearby Words

Articles Related to affect

Cite this Entry

Style

“Affect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affect. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of affect

verb (1)

verb (2)

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Commonly Confused Words Quiz Vol. 2

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'Ubiquitous', 'Pretentious', and 8 More...

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fervid

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes

Synonyms of affect

verb (1)

verb (2)

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Articles Related to affect

Commonly Confused Words Quiz Vol. 2

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'Ubiquitous', 'Pretentious', and 8 More...

Video

Transcript

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fervid

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes