AFFECTS Synonyms: 136 Similar and Opposite Words

affects 1 of 2

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of affect

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

as in involves

to be the business or affair of fortunately, hurricane season doesn't affect the West Coast

Synonyms & Similar Words

affects

2 of 2

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of affect

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

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

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 affects

Verb

Moreover, there’s no medical school module on how much any of these comorbidities affects the true cost of the hospitalization. — Leah Pierson, STAT, 6 Oct. 2026 For example, a manufacturer may need to understand how a component change affects products, suppliers and production. — Nada Usina, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026 The recall affects drinks in lots 091026 DL, 091126 DL, 072226 DT, 072426 TL, 073126 TL, 072926 TL, 073026 TL, 081026 TL, 082126 OA, 080126 DL, 082026 DL, 083126 DT, 082526 KM, 090426 KM and 072726 TL. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026 Inaba said she was diagnosed in 2013 with Sjögren’s disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects as many as 4 million people in the United States, according to the NIH's National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. — ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026 All that means heavier construction and a sturdier undercarriage, which affects things like takeoff weight and operational range. — New Atlas, 4 Oct. 2026 The missile’s multi-mission design also affects how the Navy can allocate its inventory. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026 Recover chief product officer Enes Adak said the complexity of textile materials makes recycling more challenging and costly and affects the quality of the recycled output. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026 QuickBooks Free can generate profit and loss statements and balance sheets to understand how spending affects your business’s financial health. — Carson Brunson, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for affects

Verb

Kevin Mohatt | Reuters The Supreme Court heard a major case this week concerning an Intel retirement plan which could result in a decision that influences employers' appetite for private investments in 401(k)s.

— Cheryl Winokur Munk, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026
AthenaZero is part of a more comprehensive research effort to understand how a robot’s physical construction influences its ability to manipulate objects.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of influences

Verb

Ray tracing is a rendering technique that simulates how light travels and interacts with surfaces to produce realistic lighting, reflections, and shadows.

— Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Sep. 2026
Here, what lies indoors simulates the beauty of the natural world.

— Carrie Honaker, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of simulates

Verb

These can profoundly affect our orbiting satellites and power grid, so understanding the sun’s magnetic activity actually very much impacts us here on Earth.

— Phil Plait, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026
This inequity not only impacts women psychologically, but physically.

— Georgia Casey, Allure, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of impacts

Verb

Everyone pretends the films were chosen purely on merit, but the slate often reads Hollywood with a lanyard and a conscience.

— Joseph Kahn, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
Here, sometimes you get invited to dinner very quickly, and then, two years later, the person pretends not to know you anymore on the street.

— Baptiste Mandrillon, Time, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of pretends

Verb

CMOs should be working with their public relations colleagues to strengthen the brand narrative by creating opportunities for earned media coverage in those outlets that are feeding the LLMs the target audience frequents.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2026
The restrictions will be typically attached to signposts and buildings, Romano said, especially frequents around high-volume student residences.

— Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 28 Aug. 2026