Synonyms of affection

affection

noun

ə-ˈfek-shən 

1

as in love

a feeling of strong or constant regard for and dedication to someone

an elderly couple showing their affection for each other by little acts of kindness

Synonyms & Similar Words

• love
• devotion
• passion
• respect
• fondness
• enthusiasm
• attachment
• appreciation
• longing
• desire
• adoration
• devotedness
• regard
• loyalty
• infatuation
• preference
• liking
• zeal
• esteem
• eagerness
• yearning
• fervor
• taste
• relish
• craving
• partiality
• lust
• appetite
• crush
• ardor
• allegiance
• fidelity
• worship
• favor
• adulation
• like
• fancy
• faithfulness
• fealty
• idolatry
• estimation
• steadfastness
• idolization
• deification

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hatred
• hostility
• hate
• loathing
• antagonism
• enmity
• animosity
• rancor
• aversion
• antipathy
• dislike
• abomination
• disgust
• allergy
• repulsion
• revulsion
• abhorrence
• repugnance
• disfavor
• misanthropy

2

as in disease

an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning

born with a heart affection that later caused him problems

Synonyms & Similar Words

• disease
• illness
• ailment
• ill
• condition
• fever
• disorder
• sickness
• bug
• infection
• attack
• malady
• ail
• distemper
• complication
• infirmity
• trouble
• complaint
• distemperature
• plague
• contagion
• contagious disease
• feebleness
• debility
• unsoundness
• weakness
• sickliness
• lameness
• spell
• decrepitude
• bout
• unhealthiness
• malaise
• fit
• matter
• pestilence
• contagium
• unwellness
• epidemic
• frailness
• pip
• pest

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• health
• wellness
• robustness
• soundness
• fitness
• wholesomeness
• wholeness
• shape
• heartiness
• healthiness
• fettle

3

as in devices

a habitual attraction to some activity or thing

I'm rooting for the Cubs—just my natural affection for the underdog, I guess

Synonyms & Similar Words

• devices
• inclination
• aptitude
• tendency
• affinity
• disposition
• impulse
• knack
• predilection
• predisposition
• propensity
• penchant
• partiality
• talent
• proclivity
• bias
• addiction
• preference
• gift
• appetite
• genius
• bone
• bent
• habitude
• turn
• prejudice
• fondness
• flair
• leaning
• liking
• endowment
• taste
• partisanship
• favor
• faculty
• habit
• eccentricity
• like
• practise
• practice
• one-sidedness
• idiosyncrasy
• specialty
• speciality
• fancy
• peculiarity
• pattern
• singularity
• convention
• custom
• forte
• quirk
• routine
• way
• oddity
• wont
• trick
• kink

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• distaste
• aversion
• dislike
• allergy
• disinclination
• neutrality
• indifference
• disfavor
• objectivity
• detachment
• impartiality
• disliking
• disrelish
• averseness
• apathy
• unconcern
• nonchalance
• disinterestedness
• insouciance

4

as in characteristic

something that sets apart an individual from others of the same kind

religion, of one kind or another, is an affection common to every society known to have existed

Synonyms & Similar Words

• characteristic
• quality
• trait
• feature
• attribute
• attribution
• criterion
• property
• hallmark
• touch
• peculiarity
• character
• mark
• particularity
• specific
• stamp
• marker
• symbol
• fingerprint
• indication
• sign
• token
• differentia
• point
• virtue
• note
• diagnostic
• grace
• charm
• emblem
• merit
• excellence
• badge
• eccentricity
• individuality
• uniqueness
• idiosyncrasy
• singularity
• quirk
• oddity

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

Recent Examples of affection

In a place like Lincoln, that’s not difficult, with its affection for football. —Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 20 June 2025

Retriever Realizes Owner Is Home, His Greeting Melts Hearts Senior Dog Enjoys Party on the Beach to Celebrate His 15th Birthday Hearts Melt As Senior Deaf and Blind Dog Detects Owner Is Back Researchers recorded how much affection, proximity-seeking, or excitement the dog showed. —Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025

Ace has set himself up as some kind of master of romance, despite being 22 years of age, and advises Taylor that women need displays of affection — which Ace has already taken the liberty of planning on Taylor’s behalf. —Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 18 June 2025

The song’s bouncy, dreamy affection and sweet, youthful aggression could be felt from Hawthorne, Calif., to Detroit, Mich. —Armond White, National Review, 18 June 2025