affect 1 of 2

verb (1)

ə-ˈfekt How to pronounce affect (audio)
Definition of affectnext
1
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
2
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 How to pronounce affect (audio)
1
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
2
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
Among the most affected are Hungary’s roughly 27,000 hectares (67,000 acres) of fish ponds. — ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026 More than 90,000 people have been affected by the disaster, according to the Nepal Red Cross. — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026 The change will start to affect users ten days from now, with the release of the forthcoming September Patch Tuesday. — Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 However, bad actors may still be able to modify the glasses or tamper with the light without affecting recordings. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for affect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affect
  1. influence
  2. involve
  3. simulate
  4. haunt
  5. impact
  6. concern
  7. pretend
  8. frequent
Verb
  • Physical activity, blood pressure, hearing loss, smoking, social isolation, sleep, nutrition, stress management and recovery can all influence our long-term health.
    — Mick Safron, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In the 19th century, flamenco dancers began using the abanico as an expressive prop, as Cuban song and dance styles such as the guajira influenced the dance form.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of influence
Verb
  • Her body was found Monday morning in the waters near Hagley Landing, a boat ramp leading to the Waccamaw River in the small town of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, following an extensive search involving hundreds of people and multiple agencies.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The voyage involved a 57,038-DWT bulk carrier, giving the system a test under real commercial operating conditions.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of involve
Verb
  • These allow manufacturers to simulate how fibers blend or how construction adjustments will perform before starting a full production run.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • And most simulants of lunar material are faithful in their geological characteristics, to simulate the lunar surface and its dust, rather than the precise chemistry within.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of simulate
Verb
  • As a result, the Owens women — with Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing back as the witchy aunts of Bullock and Kidman’s characters — must reunite to finally break the curse that has haunted their family.
    — Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Filming has now begun on location in Malta, with Winstone starring as Alan ‘Razor’ Sharp, a former SAS operative haunted by a botched mission in the 1990s that left his reputation in tatters and his best friend dead.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of haunt
Verb
  • Stewart doesn’t make excuses for missing the targets, even though Goodyear’s business, like many, has been impacted by tariffs, inflated raw material costs, and the expansion of cheaper Chinese products.
    — Michael Wayland, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Before Turner, cattle grazing, logging, and mining impacted portions of the property for decades.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of impact
Verb
  • Through an open records request, the Star-Telegram obtained copies of text messages and emails concerning discussions between the two cities about the data center development.
    — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Akiyama wrote numerous books concerning both his spaceflight and his experiences as a farmer and being displaced from the Fukushima Prefecture.
    — Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of concern
Verb
  • The two are only able to unlock a new understanding of each other by pretending to be strangers meeting for the first time.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • One, a 35-year-old man, pretended to be a San Francisco 49ers player or a wealthy real estate investor, the Department of Justice said.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of pretend
Verb
  • Layla and the kids never made the move to Tuscaloosa, leaving Kiffin to go off the rails, frequenting Tuscaloosa-area bars.
    — John Talty, Vanity Fair, 2 Sep. 2026
  • This museum, the former home and studio of Pritzker-Prize-winning architect Luis Barragán, is frequented by architecture and design lovers.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of frequent

Browse Nearby Words

affairs
affect
affectation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Affect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affect. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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