Word
affect
To affect something is to influence it or cause it to change.
Meanings
To influence or change something in some way.
To cause someone to feel a particular emotion or to have an emotional impact on someone.
In psychology, an observable display of emotion shown in facial expression or tone.
Definition
To affect means to influence what happens to someone or something. It often describes how a situation, action, or event changes results, feelings, health, or decisions. In psychology, it can also mean an emotional state shown on someone’s face or in their voice.
Examples
- Heavy rain can affect the commute.
- The new rule will affect small businesses the most.
- Her comments didn’t affect my decision.
- Lack of sleep can affect your mood.
- The movie’s ending really affect me.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse affect (usually a verb) with effect (usually a noun).
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More verbs
- analyze To examine something carefully in order to understand it or explain it.
- scrutinize To scrutinize something is to examine it very carefully and in detail.
- allude To allude means to mention or suggest something indirectly without saying it clearly.
- elude To elude someone or something is to avoid being caught, understood, or remembered.
- infer To infer means to form a conclusion from evidence or clues rather than from a direct statement.