affecting
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of affecting
Explanation
If the final scene has you sniffling and reaching for the Kleenex, the movie you’re watching could be described as affecting, meaning it makes you emotional. You might be familiar with the noun affect, which refers to a feeling or emotion. Affecting is just the adjective form of that word — so you can probably guess that it describes things that provoke strong feelings or emotions. You might watch an affecting basketball game, for example, or see an affecting performance of a play. The feeling caused by something affecting can be good or bad, happy or sad. The key is that it stirs up a strong feeling.
Vocabulary lists containing affecting
Pay Attention! Synonyms for "Interesting"
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Krik? Krak!
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They found that some mutations affecting leucine metabolism could help cancer cells survive.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 3, 2026
The blocked agreements affecting Joshua Tree also included support for projects to improve mapping technology, address pest infestations at Keys Ranch and bolster the archaeology program.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
In a deeply reported article, Claudia Assis outlined the mechanics of the global refining market to explain why diesel prices remain stubbornly high and how that is affecting businesses.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
The coalition said one transformer was taken out of service without affecting the wider electricity network.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
A large, robust, athletic man, Washington was plagued by headaches, stomach troubles, and bouts of rheumatism—a painful condition affecting the joints such as knees and elbows.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
