affect

Plural: affects

Noun

the conscious subjective aspect of feeling or emotion
A subjective feeling experienced in response to a thought or other stimulus; mood, emotion, especially as demonstrated in external physical signs.
One's mood or inclination; mental state.
A desire, an appetite.

Verb

Verb Forms: affected, affecting, affects

To pretend to feel or have something; to feign.
have an effect upon
- "Will the new rules affect me?"
act physically on; have an effect upon
- "the medicine affects my heart rate"
connect closely and often incriminatingly
- "This new ruling affects your business"
make believe with the intent to deceive
have an emotional or cognitive impact upon
To influence or alter.
To move to emotion.
Of an illness or condition, to infect or harm (a part of the body).
To dispose or incline.
To tend to by affinity or disposition.
To assign; to appoint.
To burden (property) with a fixed charge or payment, or other condition or restriction.
To make a show of; to put on a pretense of; to feign; to assume. To make a false display of.
To aim for, to try to obtain.
To feel affection for (someone); to like, be fond of.
To show a fondness for (something); to choose.

Examples

He managed to affect a smile despite feeling quite miserable.
He was deeply affected by the tragic ending of the play.
Hepatitis affects the liver.
She would affect disinterest in the score, but we all knew she was winning.
The experience affected me deeply.
The heat of the sunlight affected the speed of the chemical reaction.
to affect a British accent
to affect ignorance

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English affecten, from Latin affectāre, from Latin affectus, the participle stem of Latin afficere (“to act upon, influence, affect, attack with disease”), from ad- + facere (“to make, do”).

Synonyms

bear on, bear upon, dissemble, feign, impact, impress, involve, move, pretend, regard, sham, strike, touch, touch on, alter, attack, change, fake, harm, have an effect on, infect, influence, play a part in, play a role in, simulate

Scrabble Score: 14

affect: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
affect: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
affect: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 15

affect: valid Words With Friends Word