Top Definitions
Synonyms
Quiz
Related Content
Affect Vs. Effect
Examples
British

affect

¹

[ verb uh-fekt; noun af-ekt ]

/ verb əˈfɛkt; noun ˈæf ɛkt /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: affect / affected / affecting / affects on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to act on; produce an effect or change in: Cold weather affected the crops.

to impress the mind or move the feelings of: The music affected him deeply.

(of pain, disease, etc.) to attack or lay hold of.

noun

Psychology. feeling or emotion.

Psychiatry. an expressed or observed emotional response: Restricted, flat, or blunted affect may be a symptom of mental illness, especially schizophrenia.

Obsolete. affection; passion; sensation; inclination; inward disposition or feeling.

OTHER WORDS FOR affect

1 influence, sway; modify, alter.

See synonyms for affect on Thesaurus.com

VIDEO FOR AFFECT

How To Use "Affect" vs. "Effect"

Effect and affect: can you keep these two words straight? We can't either which is why we are giving you some examples to learn the difference between the two!

MORE VIDEOS FROM DICTIONARY.COM

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of affect

¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin affectus “acted upon, subjected to; mental or emotional state” (past participle and action noun of afficere ), equivalent to af- “toward” + fec- (combining form of facere “to make, do”) + -tus action noun suffix or -tus past participle suffix; see af-

words often confused with affect

Affect1 and effect, each both noun and verb, share the sense of “influence,” and because of their similarity in pronunciation are sometimes confused in writing. As a verb affect1 means “to act on” or “to move” ( His words affected the crowd so deeply that many wept ); affect2 means “to pretend” or “to assume” ( new students affecting a nonchalance they didn't feel ). The verb effect means “to bring about, accomplish”: Her administration effected radical changes. The noun effect means “result, consequence”: the serious effects of the oil spill. The noun affect1 pronounced with the stress on the first syllable, is a technical term in psychology and psychiatry. Affect2 is not used as a noun.

OTHER WORDS FROM affect

af·fect·a·ble, adjectiveaf·fect·a·bil·i·ty, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH affect

affect , effect (see confusables note at the current entry)

Words nearby affect

affaire, affaire d'amour, affaire de coeur, affaire d'honneur, affairs, affect, affectation, affected, affecting, affection, affectional

Other definitions for affect (2 of 2)

affect²

[ uh-fekt ]

/ əˈfɛkt /

verb (used with object)

to give the appearance of; pretend or feign: to affect knowledge of the situation.

to assume artificially, pretentiously, or for effect: to affect a Southern accent.

to use, wear, or adopt by preference; choose; prefer: the peculiar costume he affected.

to assume the character or attitude of: to affect the freethinker.

(of things) to tend toward habitually or naturally: a substance that affects colloidal form.

(of animals and plants) to occupy or inhabit; live in or on: Lions affect Africa. Moss affects the northern slopes.

Archaic.

to have affection for; fancy.
to aim at; aspire to.

verb (used without object)

Obsolete. to incline, tend, or favor (usually followed by to): He affects to the old ways.

Origin of affect

²

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French affecter, from Latin affectāre “to strive after, feign” (frequentative of afficere “to do to”), equivalent to af-af- + fec- (see affect¹) + -tāre frequentative suffix

synonym study for affect

1. See pretend.

words often confused with affect

See affect¹.

OTHER WORDS FROM affect

af·fect·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

AFFECT VS. EFFECT

What's the difference between affect and effect?

Affect is most commonly used as a verb meaning to act on or produce a change in someone or something. Effect is most commonly used as a noun meaning a result or consequence.

Remembering the difference between the words can be especially hard because these senses of the words have just about the same pronunciation. Complicating things further is the fact that affect can also be used as a noun (referring to a state of emotion, as in He had a sad affect) and effect can also be used as a verb (meaning to make happen, as in We can only effect change by taking action). However, these senses of the words are much less commonly used.

You can remember that affect is most commonly used as a verb because it begins with a, for action.

You can also remember how affect and effect are most commonly used by using the acronym RAVEN:

R = Remember
A = Affect is a
V = Verb
E = Effect is a
N = Noun

Here’s an example of affect and effect used correctly in the same sentence.

Example: It’s unclear what immediate effects the new law will have or how it will affect future generations.

Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between affect and effect.

Quiz yourself on affect vs. effect!

Should affect or effect be used in the following sentence?

The campaign is hoping that the ads have a big _____ on voter turnout.

How to use affect in a sentence

Defects on this chromosome are more likely to affect men, who have only one copy, while women have two.
Covid-19 scientists flag key immune function as a turning point in life threatening cases|kdunn6|September 25, 2020|Fortune
With this information we can continue to develop powerful new models with better accuracy for determining how different habitat factors, such as the number of milkweed stems or nectaring flowers on a landscape scale, affect the monarch population.
Migrating monarchs are in trouble. Here’s how we can all help them.|By D. André Green II/The Conversation|September 23, 2020|Popular-Science
We are part of an international study to understand how women who are expecting to or have given birth are affected by stress related to the pandemic.
Pregnancy During A Pandemic: The Stress Of COVID-19 On Pregnant Women And New Mothers Is Showing|LGBTQ-Editor|September 23, 2020|No Straight News
For example, it recently implemented a clothing closet, where people could donate items to assist families affected by the pandemic.
How Outdoor Companies Can Back Up Their DEI Pledges|Kai Lightner|September 23, 2020|Outside Online

If it’s not affecting me physically or emotionally, I can’t get angry and I won’t be scared.
Climate action: Fear hasn’t motivated people, so let’s get them excited|matthewheimer|September 22, 2020|Fortune
The vaccine is delivered through a “carrier virus” that causes a common cold in chimpanzees but does not affect humans.
The Race for the Ebola Vaccine|Abby Haglage|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
At this point in his life, Denton has enough filthy lucre in his bank account to affect a certain lack of interest in the stuff.
The Gospel According to Nick Denton—What Next For The Gawker Founder?|Lloyd Grove|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If they are treating black people differently, then how can that not affect the president?
It’s Not Just the Cops—Racism Is a Problem for the Secret Service, Too|Bill Conroy|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We tried to become involved with committees that affect us and policing before Ferguson.
SWAT Lobby Shoots to Kill Police Reform After Ferguson|Tim Mak|December 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her personal feelings about religion do not affect how she behaves legally, politically, or socially.
The Good Wife’s Religion Politics: Voters Have No Faith in Alicia's Atheism|Regina Lizik|November 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It did not in any way affect prices or wages, which were rendered neither greater nor less thereby.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
He did not affect to conceal his anger; and yet, strange to say, it was not visible to Mr Bellamy.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
All the parts are made of metal, so that no change in the weather can affect their relative positions.
The Recent Revolution in Organ Building|George Laing Miller
As all parts of this apparatus are of metal changes in humidity or temperature do not affect its regulation.
The Recent Revolution in Organ Building|George Laing Miller
At such a moment neither party would affect to forget the Bruce's royal pretensions.
King Robert the Bruce|A. F. Murison

British Dictionary definitions for affect (1 of 2)

affect¹

verb (əˈfɛkt) (tr)

to act upon or influence, esp in an adverse waydamp affected the sparking plugs

to move or disturb emotionally or mentallyher death affected him greatly

(of pain, disease, etc) to attack

noun (ˈæfɛkt, əˈfɛkt)

psychol the emotion associated with an idea or set of ideasSee also affection

Word Origin for affect

C17: from Latin affectus, past participle of afficere to act upon, from ad- to + facere to do

British Dictionary definitions for affect (2 of 2)

affect²

/ (əˈfɛkt) /

verb (mainly tr)

to put on an appearance or show of; make a pretence ofto affect ignorance

to imitate or assume, esp pretentiouslyto affect an accent

to have or use by preferenceshe always affects funereal clothing

to adopt the character, manner, etc, ofhe was always affecting the politician

(of plants or animals) to live or grow inpenguins affect an arctic climate

to incline naturally or habitually towardsfalling drops of liquid affect roundness

Word Origin for affect

C15: from Latin affectāre to strive after, pretend to have; related to afficere to affect 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012