What does “affect” mean?
- 1
verbto cause a change in someone or something
Lack of sleep can affect your memory.
- 2
verbto make someone feel strong emotions
She was deeply affected by the news.
Affect at a glance
- Part of speech
- verb
- CEFR level
- B1 (intermediate)
- Pronunciation
- /əˈfɛkt/ · uh-FEKT
How to use “affect” correctly
“Affect” is usually the verb and “effect” is usually the noun: “The weather affects my mood. It has a big effect on me.”
Common phrases with “affect”
- directly affect
- badly affected
- affect sb’s health
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- influence
- impact
Word family
- effect
- affection
- unaffected
“affect” is on these word lists
Learn these words next
- appear verbB1to seem
- avoid verbB1to stay away from someone or something
- beat verbB1to win against someone in a game or competition
- cause verbB1to make something happen, usually something bad
- involve verbB1to include something as a necessary part
- lay verbB1to put someone or something down carefully in a flat position
- occur verbB1to happen, especially without being planned
- perform verbB1to entertain people by acting, singing, dancing or playing music