AFFECTS Synonyms: 136 Similar and Opposite Words

affects 1 of 2

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of affect

as in influences

to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response their son claims that scary movies don't affect him in the least

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in involves

to be the business or affair of fortunately, hurricane season doesn't affect the West Coast

Synonyms & Similar Words

affects

2 of 2

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of affect

as in simulates

to present a false appearance of she affected complete unawareness that we were talking about her, though she must have overheard

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in haunts

to go to or spend time in often a power couple known to affect all the fancy parties in town

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 affects

Verb

An incident that for others might be fatal—a free fall from a high bridge—affects the coyote for only a brief moment. — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 On taxation, only about a third of clients understand how other income affects the taxability of their Social Security check, and nearly half are blindsided to learn that Medicare premiums can quietly shrink their monthly payment. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 This lack of access affects families in places such as the Eastern Shore and Western Maryland, where full-service branches can be hard to reach. — Michael Faulkender, Baltimore Sun, 31 Aug. 2026 In total, the recall now affects 3,625,800 grill brushes, which have black plastic, stainless steel and wood handles. — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026 Designers recommend testing large flooring samples in your space at different times of day to see how the light affects them. — Jason Rueger, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026 Loyola also started a return-to-school program because students with concussions have headaches that also affects their school work. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026 This primarily affects managed PCs, and so Microsoft has warned IT admins to let users know this is coming — otherwise the force restart will come as a major surprise. — Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 And if that pot has now gone bad, that affects the entire downstream logistic food chain. — Brandon Gomez, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for affects

Verb

As the world influences the object, changing its state, the arrow turns smoothly through Hilbert space.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026
The right dose, delivered consistently and appropriately, influences outcomes.

— John Graham Harper, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of influences

Verb

The upcoming 2027 model will also be the first to feature E-Shift, an optional system that simulates the gear shifts of a combustion engine.

— Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 18 Aug. 2026
The offense works on the underneath passing tree while the defense simulates coverage rules and passing off cross-under routes.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of simulates

Verb

QAnon haunts Washington I’m particularly fascinated by the ghost of QAnon – how the theory continues to haunt politics today.

— Matthew N. Hannah, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
That what haunts us doesn’t need to harm us, but can instead help guide us through what feels too difficult to negotiate alone.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of haunts

Verb

The potential for misuse and physical dependence impacts the severity of adverse effects linked to buprenorphine.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
This could relate to something unexpected that impacts your money, possessions or your earnings.

— Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of impacts

Verb

The issue, also affecting manufacturers like Xiaomi and Xpeng, concerns unsafe emergency door-release systems.

— Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
However, as someone who has been studying Antarctic krill ecology and their role in the Southern Ocean ecosystem for 16 years, what currently concerns me most is how locally concentrated that harvest has become.

— Kim S. Bernard, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of concerns

Verb

Because so many of the places that M frequents are luxurious, her sections have the sheen of a life-style magazine.

— Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
Keep trash cans clean and securely closed, and store them away from porches and other outdoor areas your family frequents.

— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2026