Definition of affinitynext

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 The second-eldest of five was known for his affinity for anime and Icees. Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 13 June 2026 An agent ingesting hundreds of signals on each buyer—buy box, financing source, timeline, geography, sector affinity—could theoretically do that for every buyer in the market, not just the top five. Dylan Gans, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026 Adamolekun has leaned into cultural cachet, betting that celebrity affinity from the likes of Snoop Dogg, Ciara, and Ice Cube would restore the brand’s luster. Rita Omokha, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026 Trump’s affinity for these fights extends beyond business dealings. Bhumika Tharoor, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for affinity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affinity
Noun
  • The North Korean players’ physical aptitude was clear, but coaches were aware of their technical and tactical shortcomings.
    Andrew McNicol, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
  • But while Josh is a magnet for easy jabs about NPR tote bags and Sierra Club memberships, there’s almost nothing in his storylines to suggest an aptitude for or even interest in the work of actual journalism.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • But pretty soon the two interlopers into this small, grudge-holding but tight-knit community — the kind where, going back generations, everybody not only knows but is mightily resentful of everyone else’s business — develop a kind of outsider kinship.
    Jessica Kiang, Variety, 16 June 2026
  • Cramped passengers are ruled not by bonhomie but by hair-trigger aggression, while flight crews seek compliance rather than kinship.
    Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • The young David displayed hypergraphic tendencies—the compulsive need to make a mark, to depict.
    Mark Rozzo, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026
  • There is a tendency in retail to discuss scale in operational terms.
    Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • Kogonada, who also wrote and edited the film, built the project around Hong Kong’s particular relationship with memory and movement, taking three days to identify a geography the team could navigate largely on foot.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 June 2026
  • In fact, their entire relationship has an eerie, performative aura.
    Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • Courtesy of Focus Features & CBS Despite its inclination toward the otherworldly, the original Twilight Zone created by TV pioneer Rod Serling was, at its core, about the weakness of human nature.
    Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
  • Maybe because there’s some cultural inclination toward making an idiosyncratic mark on one’s little corner.
    Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026
Noun
  • The federal government, parliament and EconomieSuisse, a major business association, oppose the idea.
    Jamey Keaten, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
  • Except for the 2019 accident in Hawaii, this is the first year of this century with double-digit fatalities resulting from a skydiving plane crash, the association says.
    Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • Prinano said its technology supports wafer-level production of photonic chips and can be applied to optical communication and sensing devices based on gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, and silicon photonics.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 June 2026
  • Spending on mental wellness has accelerated faster than the evidence base, encompassing everything from spa retreats to brain supplements, smartphone apps, and at-home devices.
    Melinda Fulmer, Robb Report, 11 June 2026
Noun
  • Tyrnauer also plans to use Tribeca Festival’s history to spark a larger conversation about cities, art, and the need for connection, examining how De Niro and Rosenthal harnessed cinema as a form of civic architecture and activism.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 12 June 2026
  • Dwight Rhone, 74, was initially charged in December 2024 with one count of murder in connection with the 2023 killing of Bernardo Moreno, 54, according to a San Diego County District Attorney’s Office news release.
    Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Affinity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affinity. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.

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