unaffected
1 Americanadjective
adjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unaffected1
First recorded in 1580–90; un- 1 + affected 2
Origin of unaffected2
First recorded in 1580–90; un- 1 + affected 1
Explanation
When bad weather or a mean aunt or some other force takes over and you still don't change, you're unaffected. If your party was unaffected by the rain and Aunt Emma's no-fun attitude, then everyone probably had a good time. Unaffected has other meanings, too. It can mean natural and genuine, or unemotional. If someone says you're unaffected they could mean you're genuine; you don't put on an act for people. Saying you were unaffected by your favorite team's loss means you weren't upset by it.
Vocabulary lists containing unaffected
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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50 Words from Jane Austen's "Pride & Prejudice"
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Emma
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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.
The growth rate of the U.S. economy has been largely unaffected, however.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 8, 2026
Rather than primarily infecting the lungs, H5N1 caused severe infections in the udders while leaving the respiratory system largely unaffected.
From Science Daily • Jun. 23, 2026
It added that tourist activities in the town and surrounding area have been unaffected and can continue as normal.
From BBC • Jun. 20, 2026
“If you are a pregnant woman, your benefits are unaffected. If you have young children at home, your benefits are unaffected by this bill. If you are disabled, your benefits are unaffected by this bill.”
From Salon • Jun. 18, 2026
She seems unaffected by the newfound viscosity in the air.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
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.
