affecting
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived 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.
Batygin and Brown argued that something with a large gravitational pull must be affecting their orbit, and proposed planet nine as a potential explanation.
From Science Daily • Jun. 9, 2026
"Ragtime," which explores the social and economic upheavals affecting non-white people in early 20th century America, received four awards, including Best Revival of a Musical.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
South Africa has one of the highest rates of unemployment in the world at around 33% - mainly affecting young people.
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
Meliá said its decision to close 15 hotels was driven by circumstances beyond the firm’s control, noting that most were already closed “due to the energy challenges and the decline in demand” affecting the island.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
She thinks the book’s a relic from when weepy gang boys bonded over Gone with the Wind, but she quiets herself when she sees how much it’s affecting him.
From "Every Day" by David Levithan
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.
