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Synonym Chooser

How is the word affection distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of affection are emotion, feeling, passion, and sentiment. While all these words mean "a subjective response to a person, thing, or situation," affection applies to feelings that are also inclinations or likings.

a memoir of childhood filled with affection for her family

How are the words emotion and feeling related as synonyms of affection?

Emotion carries a strong implication of excitement or agitation but, like feeling, encompasses both positive and negative responses.

the drama portrays the emotions of adolescence

When is feeling a more appropriate choice than affection?

Although the words feeling and affection have much in common, feeling denotes any partly mental, partly physical response marked by pleasure, pain, attraction, or repulsion; it may suggest the mere existence of a response but imply nothing about the nature or intensity of it.

the feelings that once moved me are gone

In what contexts can passion take the place of affection?

The meanings of passion and affection largely overlap; however, passion suggests a very powerful or controlling emotion.

revenge became his ruling passion

When would sentiment be a good substitute for affection?

In some situations, the words sentiment and affection are roughly equivalent. However, sentiment often implies an emotion inspired by an idea.

her feminist sentiments are well known

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 affection Most dogs tend to bond with the person that gives them most attention and affection. Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025 Hamida gives Kammo food, material necessities, and, perhaps most critically, affection. JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025 Thea has helped the object of her affection finish a manuscript that, once published, will assure this author both literary glory and a spot at the university. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2025 At 12, Aaron became the object of Hank’s affection. Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for affection
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affection
Noun
  • This show has always been a part of our love story.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 11 Nov. 2025
  • But beyond the text on his screen there are entire worlds—of history, philosophy, and maybe even of love—in the stories and people he and AI conjure.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The result is a hybrid system capable of autonomously targeting and treating disease sites with minimal disruption.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2025
  • As Hoffine noted, hunger often kills not just through starvation, but by weakening immune systems to the point where people can't fight off disease.
    Nurith Aizenman, NPR, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Since launching in 2012, Candy Crush Saga has remained one of the most popular games on mobile devices, accruing millions of daily players.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025
  • On the hardware side over 10+ million devices have been built around a recovery phrase by default, entrenching a market expectation in which seed phrases are the go-to recovery method, even as some vendors add alternatives.
    Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Published in Aerospace Science and Technology, the study describes that the Accurate prediction of aerodynamic drag characteristics across a wide range of wing-body configurations is crucial in the early design stages of transonic commercial transport aircraft.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Customers see a different look, feel, color, drape and other characteristics of an apparel product.
    Raj Dhiman, Sourcing Journal, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Mamdani’s focus on dignity, inclusion and equity captured the devotion of a plurality of Latino voters in New York.
    Newsweek Contributors, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
  • His music mixes reggaetón beats with the sounds of Puerto Rican history and everyday life, where devotion and defiance often live side by side.
    Ken Chitwood, The Conversation, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Watson died in hospice care after a brief illness, his son confirmed Friday, according to The Associated Press.
    Sophia Compton, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Jelly Roll has been forced to cancel the final date of his debut Australia and New Zealand tour, citing illness, just hours before the headline show was set to kick off.
    Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 8 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The inclination to avoid that threshold already impacted Denver’s decision not to sign a rookie contract extension with Peyton Watson last month.
    Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Lin—whose early career at Zappos and mathematical inclinations molded him into an early backer of companies like Airbnb and DoorDash—has been at Sequoia since 2010.
    Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Rejecting the streamlining and modernizing approach of many recent translations, Mendelsohn artfully reproduces the epic’s formal qualities—meter, enjambment, alliteration, assonance—and in so doing restores to Homer’s masterwork its archaic grandeur.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Donate today to preserve the quality and integrity of local journalism.
    Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 10 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Affection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affection. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on affection

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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