as in tendencies
a habitual attraction to some activity or thing
always had an affinity for nurturing living things
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Recent Examples of affinities
Spanish society has always had a relatively high tolerance for Latin American immigrants, who speak the local language and share certain cultural affinities.
—
Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026
Squarcialupi said the time is now ripe for the brand to cross borders, toward Spain and other Mediterranean countries that have affinities with Italy.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
Some souls simply have affinities with others, as Margaret is about to learn.
—Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
While tons of beauty professionals have ties, affinities, and contractual obligations with designer brands, many swear by drugstore or equally accessible products to get their clients star-worthy outcomes.
—Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 11 May 2026
Its formal and ontological affinities with dysfunction, fragmentation, and violence would seem to render that debt proverbial to the point of cliché.
—Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Today, costly and time-consuming coachbuilding acts as a mirror for the owner’s personal style and affinities, all the while displaying the status of having formed such a close connection with a brand that you’re invited to commission something singular.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
The concrete structure’s open layout encourages meandering discovery, with works chosen to reveal new affinities and connections across cultures and centuries.
—Leah Ollman, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Szabo’s affinities are hardly a secret.
—Alex Cuadros, ProPublica, 1 Apr. 2026
Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026
Squarcialupi said the time is now ripe for the brand to cross borders, toward Spain and other Mediterranean countries that have affinities with Italy.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
Some souls simply have affinities with others, as Margaret is about to learn.
—Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
While tons of beauty professionals have ties, affinities, and contractual obligations with designer brands, many swear by drugstore or equally accessible products to get their clients star-worthy outcomes.
—Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 11 May 2026
Its formal and ontological affinities with dysfunction, fragmentation, and violence would seem to render that debt proverbial to the point of cliché.
—Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Today, costly and time-consuming coachbuilding acts as a mirror for the owner’s personal style and affinities, all the while displaying the status of having formed such a close connection with a brand that you’re invited to commission something singular.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
The concrete structure’s open layout encourages meandering discovery, with works chosen to reveal new affinities and connections across cultures and centuries.
—Leah Ollman, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Szabo’s affinities are hardly a secret.
—Alex Cuadros, ProPublica, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affinities
Noun
-
The next major point of interest is the punchy, barely contained synth bass that eats up much of the mix, but even that is pulling from a predictable arsenal of Max Martin tendencies.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
-
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
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
-
For this class, the premise is that your purpose in life lies to the intersection of your values, your aptitudes and your interests.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
-
This model reflects Japan’s long-standing corporate culture, which prioritizes new hires for their general potential—their aptitudes and aspirations, as opposed to their current skill sets or university majors—and then trains them on the job.—
GRACIA LIU-FARRER,
Foreign Affairs,
18 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Affinities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affinities. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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