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
The atmosphere in the house is always quiet, neat and calm — even when the housemates are upset that their crush’s affections are unreturned.
—
Sarah Wang, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
And then there is Gomes, one of very few Wolves players to have retained the affections of supporters during a depressing decline for the club.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 12 May 2026
The film provides further complexity by not making Bear a sympathetic victim but rather complicit by initially enjoying Nikki’s affections despite their artificial provenance.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 11 May 2026
That’s because his job is to understand the thought processes, emotions, and affections of Japanese and Americans alike.
—Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 9 Apr. 2026
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
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
Sarah Wang, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
And then there is Gomes, one of very few Wolves players to have retained the affections of supporters during a depressing decline for the club.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 12 May 2026
The film provides further complexity by not making Bear a sympathetic victim but rather complicit by initially enjoying Nikki’s affections despite their artificial provenance.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 11 May 2026
That’s because his job is to understand the thought processes, emotions, and affections of Japanese and Americans alike.
—Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 9 Apr. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affections
Noun
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More than 40 years later, McDonough can’t imagine doing anything other than working a kaleidoscope of colorful stones into pieces inspired by her many passions, which range from the ballet to Liverpool’s football team to the great outdoors.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
27 May 2026
-
Contemporary composer Ruth Naomi Floyd uses Anderson’s life and passions as inspiration for a new body of compositions inspired by her unique fusion of authentic jazz and stately classical formations.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
More than 10,000 rare diseases affect 30 million Americans.—
Elise Esposito,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
-
Viral diseases in tomato plants cannot be treated with chemicals.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Born to a humble family in the twilight years of the shogunate, Higuchi Natsuko (as she was born) was the fourth child and second daughter of a man with scholarly inclinations, who as a farmer had come to the capital to seek both fortune and rank.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
-
Over the last week or so, the four satellites adjusted their inclinations—the angles of their orbits to the equator—by less than a degree.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
The company said the findings support a growing shift toward precision medicine, where therapies are tailored to the biological characteristics of an individual’s disease rather than applying the same treatment approach to all patients with similar clinical features.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
30 May 2026
-
This means the fruit from the seedling will closely resemble that of the parent plant in flavor and other characteristics.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Those advocating for a fundamental reset — including Newsom, businesses, cities and counties — say a cottage industry of consultants and attorneys have morphed the claim process to include common ailments such as high blood pressure and toenail fungus.—
Joe Rubin,
Sacbee.com,
28 May 2026
-
Not only that, but Jill said physical ailments were also taking their toll on the career politician.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Even so, there is a real responsibility on the introverted leader to understand how their natural tendencies land with the people around them and how to be most effective within that awareness.—
Bill Koch,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
-
This summer, Disneyland is leaning all the way into its patriotic tendencies.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
The club had learned to accept that the 51-year-old is extremely demanding and ambitious, qualities that actually made working with him a challenge at times.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
And the qualities that once stigmatized the sport are now venerated by the White House.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
This is why wastewater can give us a better picture of the prevalence of illnesses not always easily detected in a healthcare setting, said Bidwell, especially because most people recover at home without seeing a doctor or being formally diagnosed.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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Community engagement remains crucial, especially since early Ebola symptoms can resemble other illnesses.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Affections.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affections. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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