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 star has had a bit of an affinity for wearing polka dots. Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 6 May 2025 And possibly a sci-fi fantasy role thrown in there, given my background, my childhood affinity toward that. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 5 May 2025 Revisiting the origins of America’s affinity for protectionism offers guidance for how tariffs might help the U.S. manage today’s more modern, global, and digital economic revolution—as well as the limits of tariffs. Made By History, Time, 28 Apr. 2025 Jews and other immigrants from southern and eastern Europe were disproportionately targeted, highlighting the cultural affinities between anti-radicalism and racial and ethnic chauvinism. Rick Baldoz, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for affinity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affinity
Noun
  • Judging by the untended blisters on his knuckles and palms, however, Enzo doesn’t show much aptitude for it — to the extent that his supervisor drives the boy home one day to speak with his parents, surprised to discover that Enzo lives in a posh home with ocean views and a private pool.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 May 2025
  • Hiring focuses on ability and aptitude, in companies that are focused on growth.
    Chris Westfall, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
Noun
  • Cambridge historian Robert Tombs wrote that if a nation is a people with a sense of kinship, a political identity, and representative institutions, then England may be able to claim to be the oldest nation on Earth.
    The Editors, National Review, 17 May 2025
  • That striking setting is first seen at dusk in a sequence whose fusion of poetry, tradition, kinship and omen sets the mood for what follows, as does the plangent lyricism of the (uncredited) score’s oud.
    Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • Recent climate modeling results suggest that changes in annual precipitation in Florida will likely be modest, within about 10% of current average, with a tendency for wetter conditions in the northern part of the state and lesser precipitation in the south.
    Bob Maliva, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 May 2025
  • Plus, no matter who's involved, humans have a natural tendency to pay close attention to danger and threats, especially if those threats have lurked without detection for so long.
    Charles Trepany, USA Today, 10 May 2025
Noun
  • Pope's views on social media In a 2023 interview with Vatican News, the now-pope was asked about the relationship between bishops and social media.
    Rhona Tarrant, CBS News, 9 May 2025
  • While the deal reflects a warmer relationship between the U.S. and the UK, the baseline 10% tariff remaining in effect means Americans are still likely going to pay more for goods from the nation’s ninth largest trading partner.
    Rachel Barber, USA Today, 9 May 2025
Noun
  • Analysts also see an inclination among some officials to keep certain communications private, not just from spies but also from government recordkeeping.
    Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 8 May 2025
  • Conveniently dovetailing into some of the notions offered this weekend to Trump at Mar-a-Lago by Oscar-winner Voight and his team, Newsom’s pitch of a national tax incentive for big screen and small screen production is clearly aimed to appeal to Trump’s bigger-is-better inclinations.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 5 May 2025
Noun
  • Most Americans still live in places with fluoridated water, but if your child’s water supply is not fluoridated, professional associations of dentists and pediatricians recommend talking with your health care providers about fluoride supplements to help ward off dental decay.
    Matt Fuchs, Time, 14 May 2025
  • Expand your personal network by joining trade associations, online communities and forums, or local organizations such as chambers of commerce or volunteer opportunities.
    Todd Villeneuve, Forbes.com, 14 May 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
  • The connection between Lilo (Maia Kealoha) and Nani (Sydney Agudong) became a focal point.
    Nick Romano, EW.com, 9 May 2025
  • Keeping that wealth in a trust may do very little to sever the connection between Trump and his riches, though, depending on the exact conditions of the arrangement.
    Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 9 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Affinity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affinity. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

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