1
as in influences
to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response
their son claims that scary movies don't affect him in the least
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in involves
to be the business or affair of
fortunately, hurricane season doesn't affect the West Coast
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in simulates
to present a false appearance of
she affected complete unawareness that we were talking about her, though she must have overheard
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in haunts
to go to or spend time in often
a power couple known to affect all the fancy parties in town
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of affects
Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
The question of how Venus’s atmosphere affects probes isn’t just about the past—the list of artifacts may be growing soon because more probes are set to land on Venus.
—Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 10 May 2026
Just like life, everything affects everything else.
—Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 9 May 2026
The actor had publicly revealed nearly one year earlier that he had been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a progressive neurodegenerative illness that affects nerve cells and muscle function.
—Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
The ban affects private destinations in the Bahamas managed by Carnival Cruise Line, including Celebration Key and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 May 2026
Weather affects more people than volcanism — namely, everyone, all the time — but some 800 million people live within 100 kilometers of an active volcano, and some (very rare) eruptions can also affect the entire planet.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026
The recall affects certain 2024-2026 AMG GT, C-Class, E-Class, SL, CLE and GLC vehicles, a May 1 notice published on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website reads.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 8 May 2026
The weather service issued a similar heat advisory that affects much of the San Joaquin Valley, including the cities of Fresno, Merced, Bakersfield, Porterville and Visalia.
—Allison Gibson, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2026
Verb
Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome affects the kidneys and causes a wide range of symptoms, including blurred vision, low blood pressure, acute shock, internal bleeding and kidney failure.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
The question of how Venus’s atmosphere affects probes isn’t just about the past—the list of artifacts may be growing soon because more probes are set to land on Venus.
—Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 10 May 2026
Just like life, everything affects everything else.
—Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 9 May 2026
The actor had publicly revealed nearly one year earlier that he had been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a progressive neurodegenerative illness that affects nerve cells and muscle function.
—Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
The ban affects private destinations in the Bahamas managed by Carnival Cruise Line, including Celebration Key and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 May 2026
Weather affects more people than volcanism — namely, everyone, all the time — but some 800 million people live within 100 kilometers of an active volcano, and some (very rare) eruptions can also affect the entire planet.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026
The recall affects certain 2024-2026 AMG GT, C-Class, E-Class, SL, CLE and GLC vehicles, a May 1 notice published on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website reads.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 8 May 2026
The weather service issued a similar heat advisory that affects much of the San Joaquin Valley, including the cities of Fresno, Merced, Bakersfield, Porterville and Visalia.
—Allison Gibson, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Affects.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affects. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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