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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 Barker and Kardashian have never shied away from public displays of affection since revealing their relationship in 2021. Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2025 As evidence of the actors’ affection toward Pearson, Butters shared a birthday photo of Pearson after she and lead Hailey Atwell wrapped his entire office in wrapping paper. Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2025 Wall Street is falling out of love with fossil fuels, and showing more affection for renewables. Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2025 The couple were also photographed in a are moment of public affection in the royal box, which seemed to indicate that things are going just fine in their relationship. Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 6 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for affection
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affection
Noun
  • Playfulness keeps your connection light yet strong, helping love become more resilient over time.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
  • These babies were made out of love, out of presence, out of care and intention.
    Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • This greater understanding is now being explored as potential preventions or therapies for a wide range of diseases, from H5N1 bird flu and HIV to cancer.
    Simon Williams, Time, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Water plants in the morning so foliage dries quickly to reduce the risk of foliar diseases.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • However, instead of removing the minerals from the water, these devices make the minerals soluble in the water.
    Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Mar. 2025
  • However, these incidents underscore the importance of regularly updating your devices to stay protected against evolving threats.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Can’t a mother have characteristics outside of that culturally narrowed scope?
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
  • The Justice Department earlier this month published a list of the nine characteristics of sanctuary jurisdictions.
    Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The meal was episodic, patterned, refusing the very concept of climax in its devotion to the moment.
    Lauren Groff, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2025
  • Women’s tennis remains the epicenter of the issue Tennis has always inspired a level of devotion to its stars, and no other sport has as many female icons.
    Carson Kessler, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Wide receiver Jalen Coker (illness) stayed at the team hotel instead of attending the joint practice.
    Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Most people infected with West Nile do not feel sick, the CDC says, though about 1 in 5 people develop a fever and other flu-like symptoms and 1 in about 150 people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness.
    Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • An inclination to laugh all the way to the poorhouse?
    Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2025
  • For another, any inclination by foreign leaders during Trump's first term to challenge him too directly has been replaced by a strategy of flattery.
    Susan Page, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Corrosion on the rearview camera harness and connector can cause the display to have an intermittent rearview video image, no rearview video image, or blurry, foggy or hazy image quality, according to the recall report.
    James Powel, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
  • The film is produced by Sidus And Teu Entertainment, a company launched by Vietnamese filmmaker Phan Gia Nhat Linh (Sweet 20) and Korean Producer Yuno Choi to produce quality feature films for the Vietnam market.
    Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Affection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affection. Accessed 29 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on affection

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