Synonym Chooser

How does the noun affinity differ from other similar words?

The words attraction and sympathy are common synonyms of affinity. While all three words mean "the relationship existing between things or persons that are naturally or involuntarily drawn together," affinity implies a susceptibility or predisposition on the part of the one drawn.

an affinity for mathematics

When might attraction be a better fit than affinity?

While in some cases nearly identical to affinity, attraction implies the possession by one thing of a quality that pulls another to it.

felt an attraction to danger

When would sympathy be a good substitute for affinity?

In some situations, the words sympathy and affinity are roughly equivalent. However, sympathy implies a reciprocal or natural relation between two things that are both susceptible to the same influence.

two minds in sympathy

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 affinity Still, the girls go as far as to seduce Jake inside a record store, their budding courtship (or, perhaps, Jake's affinity for Tess that carries over from the first film) prompting him to show up at Anna's rehearsal dinner. EW.com, 8 Aug. 2025 He has been featured as both a runner and receiver early in camp, and Daboll has shown a strong affinity for involving Skattebo heavily in the offense. Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 2 Aug. 2025 Born Terry Bollea, Hogan was a star wrestler known for his showmanship and affinity for tearing his shirt off before matches. Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 24 July 2025 The scene ends in front of a doughnut shop, which, of course, alludes to the cliché that all police officers have an affinity for doughnuts. Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for affinity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affinity
Noun
  • In PCMark 10 Overall Storage, which measures a drive's aptitude in performing a series of everyday storage tasks, the T710 lags the T705 and most of the other Gen 5 drives.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Bond and bassist Zac Cockrell held down the low end with workmanlike aptitude, leaving plenty of room for bluesy fills, fuzz-distortion accents and pregnant pauses to enter undetected.
    Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2025
Noun
  • Stalter was a mega Girls fan and had felt a kinship with Dunham through the screen.
    Anna Peele, Rolling Stone, 10 July 2025
  • Each work—a torch in the dark—guides us, casting light on kinships unthought,revealing the art of becoming with the Earth.
    Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • Birds love the honeysuckle and porcelain vine fruits and have the infuriating tendency to pass them through their system undamaged, and then deposit them in your garden, in tremendous numbers, encased in a nice little fertilizer packet.
    Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Since the start of the offseason program, Smith has studied both kickers’ tendencies.
    Mike Kaye August 14, Charlotte Observer, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • From 1975 to the present day, Ruf Automobile has had a symbiotic relationship with Porsche—until the past few years, Ruf used Porsche bodies in white as canvases to reflect his vision of performance and design.
    Christian Gilbertsen, Robb Report, 12 Aug. 2025
  • In 2009, a Supreme Court decision in Boyle v. United States specified that such an enterprise must have at least three structural attributes: purpose, established relationships among those associated with the group, and longevity.
    Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Martone’s positive inclination is also backed by the quality and attention to detail ICR offers, aspects that not only enabled the company to be the first cosmetics firm in Italy to be certified for its quality in 1996, but are embedded in his family roots.
    Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 5 Aug. 2025
  • Diamandis told me that our hardwired inclinations toward selfishness did trouble him sometimes, in the middle of the night.
    Tad Friend, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The association’s optimism draws on a history of rapid growth.
    Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 18 Aug. 2025
  • The difficulty for the police, the clubs, the players association and other Dutch authorities is that there is a culture in modern-day football for many players flaunting their wealth.
    Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 17 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • However, instead of removing the minerals from the water, these devices make the minerals soluble in the water.
    Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Mar. 2025
  • However, these incidents underscore the importance of regularly updating your devices to stay protected against evolving threats.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Among resources provided by Movement Genius, which Stoner founded in 2020, is the Artist Wellbeing Essentials toolkit that provides foundational education on the mind-body connection for children, parents and caregivers.
    Cathy Applefeld Olson, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Beyond her clinical work, Nina creates opportunities for connection and reflection.
    Dominique Fluker, Essence, 13 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Affinity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affinity. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.

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