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

That down-to-the-toes level of care is a feature of a program that has transformed the way MLK Community Healthcare treats diabetes, a chronic condition that affects one in every six South Los Angeles residents and nearly a quarter of MLK’s outpatients. —

Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2026 The condition primarily affects babies under one year of age because their immune systems are still developing. —

Victoria Forster, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026 Bookstores can generally return unsold inventory to publishers for a refund or credit, which also affects pricing calculations. —

Josh Rivera, USA Today, 14 June 2026 Together, these efforts point to a growing recognition that PTSD affects not only psychological processes but also the biological systems involved in stress, arousal and emotional regulation. —

Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 June 2026 The warm water affects air currents that leave areas wetter or drier than usual. —

Dillon Amaya, The Conversation, 12 June 2026 And this isn’t just a problem for homeowners – costly insurance also affects renters and affordable housing providers, as landlords pass on costs to tenants, defer maintenance, postpone new building or face financial distress. —

The Conversation, Fortune, 12 June 2026 Davis told Variety that Bulochnikov-Paul’s experience is a sign of how much progress has been made in research and understanding how to manage the diseases, which affects different people in different ways. —

Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 7 June 2026 The change affects two state Senate districts in the Montgomery area. —

ABC News, 7 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for affects

Verb

Weather also influences how much local governments will dig into tax revenues to shield us, including building stronger infrastructure to better direct the flow of stormwater, assembling emergency management teams and equipment, and organizing shelters.

— Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2026
Raising benchmark rates influences what lenders charge throughout the economy, increasing the cost of borrowing money to buy things and thus dampening demand for goods.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 June 2026