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.
“But when it’s affecting performance and your sleep, I don’t think it’s so good.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
In south Wales, firefighters have been tackling a wildfire at Blaenavon in Torfaen county for the third day, with smoke affecting communities across a wider part of the region.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Extreme heat in the kitchen, he said, is affecting the bakery’s ability to produce its goods.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Amazon announced broad corporate layoffs affecting about 16,000 employees in January as Chief Executive Andy Jassy pushed to streamline the company while accelerating AI investments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
"They want to force us to accept their plans on questions affecting Europe and the world," Stalin declared to his advisers.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
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.
