1
as in passions
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in diseases
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
3
as in inclinations
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in characteristics
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of affections
Alienation of affections was largely recognized in the 1800s as a tort for when a female spouse was whisked away from her husband by a third party.
—
Chad De Guzman, Time, 16 Jan. 2026
But anyone willing to consider the thicket of fears, affections and recriminations that grows through the cracks of a long relationship will find in these pages an almost unbearable tenderness.
—Literary Hub, 8 Jan. 2026
Lucy is crazy about him, but Schroeder has no interest in her affections.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
And his kids aren't the only ones receiving his affections, Rocky said.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Elan Mastai, who wrote What If, has heard that Reiner was very touched that the film wore its affections for his work on its sleeve.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 19 Dec. 2025
Lea Myren stars as Elvira, who finds herself in competition with her stepsister Agnes (Thea Sofie Loch Næss) for the affections of Prince Julian (Isac Calmroth).
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
However, parasocial relationships can take a bizarre or even ominous turn when the object of one’s affections is a chatbot.
—Roger J. Kreuz, Fortune, 5 Dec. 2025
The two then face off in a competition to win over the affections of the family, each plotting against the other.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 27 Nov. 2025
Chad De Guzman, Time, 16 Jan. 2026
But anyone willing to consider the thicket of fears, affections and recriminations that grows through the cracks of a long relationship will find in these pages an almost unbearable tenderness.
—Literary Hub, 8 Jan. 2026
Lucy is crazy about him, but Schroeder has no interest in her affections.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
And his kids aren't the only ones receiving his affections, Rocky said.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Elan Mastai, who wrote What If, has heard that Reiner was very touched that the film wore its affections for his work on its sleeve.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 19 Dec. 2025
Lea Myren stars as Elvira, who finds herself in competition with her stepsister Agnes (Thea Sofie Loch Næss) for the affections of Prince Julian (Isac Calmroth).
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
However, parasocial relationships can take a bizarre or even ominous turn when the object of one’s affections is a chatbot.
—Roger J. Kreuz, Fortune, 5 Dec. 2025
The two then face off in a competition to win over the affections of the family, each plotting against the other.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 27 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affections
Noun
-
Joining Wrexham meant those twin passions of playing and tech could combine further.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
His passions outside of covering baseball are his wife, Gina, his two step kids, two crazy dogs & barbecue.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This exam enables the doctor to detect early signs of these diseases and prescribe appropriate treatments at their earliest stages.—
Mark Ryan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Dane went on to advocate for legislation addressing research on neurodegenerative diseases.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This is the standard for ramp inclinations that are usable for most people, especially wheelchair users.—
K. Desbouis,
Artforum,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Trump’s inclinations to make every race about him could foul this for the GOP.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
These characteristics are amplified by Fire, a flamboyant element that represents boldness, passion, and action.—
Marie Bladt,
Vogue,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Reliable characteristics in your players.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And Floridians who never saw a flame e were hit with respiratory ailments, with some forced to move out of state until the smoke and ash settled.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Peterson, who’s dealt with cramping issues (and other ailments) all season, played 32 minutes.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Long takes and static formal frames compel us to stand down stimulation-seeking tendencies.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Lucky for me, my Type-A tendencies make this particular aspect of work feel less like a job and more like a privilege.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But with the war showing no sign of ending, how long those qualities can keep him in power is an open question.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
But while this may help some artists, others continue to credit the ineffable qualities of music composition.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Members of the Artemis II crew — NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen — are starting their roughly two-week quarantine to limit their exposure to illnesses before their flight.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Now that a successful prelaunch fueling test has been completed, the astronauts are due to re-enter quarantine at the Johnson Space Center in Houston to avoid exposure to any illnesses.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Affections.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affections. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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