affect

Pronunciation

• enPR: əfĕkt', IPA ^(key): /ə'fɛkt/
• SAMPA: /@"fEkt/

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Verb

Plain form affect

Third-person singular affects

Past tense affected

Past participle affected

Present participle affecting

1. (transitive) If $x$ affects $y$, then $x$ causes a change in $y$.
   • Synonyms: move and change

   The movement of the soccer ball was affected by the wind.

   Sigmund Freud's ideas were affected by the writings of Frederick Nietzsche.

   How do you think the new government will affect the economy?

2. (transitive) If you affect a way of speaking, walking, dressing, etc., you pretend that it is your normal way, often to impress people.

   "No, ma'm," Robert said, affecting a southern accent.

Related words

• affectation
• affection
• affected
• unaffected

Noun

Singular affect

Plural affects

1. (countable & uncountable) Your affect is the emotion or feeling you have in response to an idea, object, etc.

   Actors need to bring out the affect of the scene.

2. (uncountable) Affect is emotion or emotional response.

   When teaching, we need to consider both ideas and affect.

Related words

• affective
• affectionate