AFFECTS Synonyms: 136 Similar and Opposite Words

affects 1 of 2

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of affect

as in influences

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 involves

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

affects

2 of 2

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of affect

as in simulates

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 haunts

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

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 affects

Verb

This affects the product fit cycle, from shoe development to the retail fitting floor. — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026 The California Department of Public Health said the recall affects pastries with potential exposure to six allergens, including tree nuts, eggs, milk and wheat. — Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026 The directive affects a building whose tenants include major international financial institutions such as Merrill Lynch, consulting giant McKinsey & Company and the International Monetary Fund. — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 Miller's new ad opens with a somber sequence of close-ups of various people's faces as the congressman talks about how divorce affects families. — Lara Korte The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026 The 8-30g law affects only communities where less than 10% of the housing is considered affordable by state guidelines. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 18 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 This type of cancer affects both smokers and nonsmokers, although Leo is not known to ever have been a smoker. — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2026 This dynamic, the NCAA insists, could harm athletes and schools outside Ohio, because Ohio schools’ success affects financial distributions. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for affects

Verb

This difference influences how nuclear fuel behaves and how a reactor sustains fission.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
Although this can lose some of the intricate ways the global climate influences local weather events, the team was able to achieve a resolution of just 30 square miles, about the size of Glendale.

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

Definition of influences

Verb

According to Maxx Leekley, Production Lead & Inventory Manager at Chocolate Fish, the application process involves more than just roasting up a good bean.

— Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026
The battery manufacturing process involves many steps that could be made more energy-efficient.

— Scott K. Johnson, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of involves

Verb

In turn, Philippine authorities temporarily banned GoreBox, a sandbox-style action game that simulates violence and destruction using weapons.

— Chad de Guzman, Time, 14 Oct. 2026
The technology, which is integrated into a miniature laboratory called CubeLab, was developed by Space Tango and simulates the natural environment in the human body.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of simulates

Verb

Directed by Kim Han-gyul, the film is an adaptation of 2012 Swedish film Cockpit about a pilot who pretends to be his own younger sister after being fired from his job.

— Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2026
Everyone pretends the films were chosen purely on merit, but the slate often reads Hollywood with a lanyard and a conscience.

— Joseph Kahn, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of pretends

Verb

CMOs should be working with their public relations colleagues to strengthen the brand narrative by creating opportunities for earned media coverage in those outlets that are feeding the LLMs the target audience frequents.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2026
The restrictions will be typically attached to signposts and buildings, Romano said, especially frequents around high-volume student residences.

— Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 28 Aug. 2026