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.
Then El Niño begins affecting food supplies and electricity markets.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of disturbances affecting old-growth forests, including drought and extreme wildfire.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
The cost-of-living crisis is also affecting how much people spend on clothes, says Mintel analyst Bridget McCusker.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
“We try to do as many projects as we can, ensuring also that we’re not affecting traffic in all areas of the city at the same time,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
Also, as Dr. Steinhaus points out, outbreaks of insect disease in nature always remain confined to insects, affecting neither the host plants nor animals feeding on them.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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.
