Synonyms of affinity

affinity

noun

ə-ˈfi-nə-tē 

1

as in aptitude

a habitual attraction to some activity or thing

always had an affinity for nurturing living things

Synonyms & Similar Words

• aptitude
• tendency
• inclination
• devices
• affection
• knack
• predilection
• proclivity
• predisposition
• propensity
• impulse
• disposition
• penchant
• bias
• talent
• preference
• partiality
• addiction
• bone
• bent
• genius
• gift
• appetite
• habitude
• leaning
• flair
• prejudice
• turn
• fondness
• taste
• liking
• partisanship
• endowment
• faculty
• favor
• habit
• specialty
• speciality
• idiosyncrasy
• like
• practice
• eccentricity
• one-sidedness
• custom
• peculiarity
• forte
• fancy
• pattern
• singularity
• quirk
• convention
• routine
• oddity
• way
• kink
• wont
• trick

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• distaste
• aversion
• allergy
• dislike
• neutrality
• disfavor
• disinclination
• objectivity
• detachment
• indifference
• impartiality
• disliking
• averseness
• disrelish
• apathy
• nonchalance
• disinterestedness
• unconcern
• insouciance

2

as in kinship

the fact or state of having something in common

a study showing an affinity between obesity and socioeconomic status

Synonyms & Similar Words

• kinship
• relationship
• association
• connection
• correlation
• relation
• linkage
• similarity
• liaison
• bearing
• link
• resemblance
• bond
• relevance
• affiliation
• tie
• alliance
• union
• interrelation
• pertinence
• agreement
• materiality
• accordance
• correspondence
• community
• identicalness
• sameness
• likeness
• conformity
• alikeness
• congruity

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• variance
• variability
• incompatibility
• incongruity
• incongruence
• incongruousness

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

Recent Examples of affinity

Nail artist Jin Soon Choi, also recalls Streisand and her affinity for the style. — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 9 Sep. 2026

One aspect that never changed was general manager Jason Licht’s affinity for Mayfield — the person and player. — Zak Keefer, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Just like her mom, Olive also has an affinity for beauty in addition to her fashion interests. — Lauren Levesque, InStyle, 5 Sep. 2026

While both schools may be well known for football, they’re also known for having an affinity for very special (and adorable) dogs. — Patricia Babcock McGraw Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026