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Synonym Chooser

How is the word affection distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of affection are emotion, feeling, passion, and sentiment. While all these words mean "a subjective response to a person, thing, or situation," affection applies to feelings that are also inclinations or likings.

a memoir of childhood filled with affection for her family

How are the words emotion and feeling related as synonyms of affection?

Emotion carries a strong implication of excitement or agitation but, like feeling, encompasses both positive and negative responses.

the drama portrays the emotions of adolescence

When is feeling a more appropriate choice than affection?

Although the words feeling and affection have much in common, feeling denotes any partly mental, partly physical response marked by pleasure, pain, attraction, or repulsion; it may suggest the mere existence of a response but imply nothing about the nature or intensity of it.

the feelings that once moved me are gone

In what contexts can passion take the place of affection?

The meanings of passion and affection largely overlap; however, passion suggests a very powerful or controlling emotion.

revenge became his ruling passion

When would sentiment be a good substitute for affection?

In some situations, the words sentiment and affection are roughly equivalent. However, sentiment often implies an emotion inspired by an idea.

her feminist sentiments are well known

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of affection This involves small gestures like humor, affection or acknowledging their feelings to de-escalate tension. Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025 The worst of its choices is rekindling the romantic triangle between Tancredi, Concetta, and Angelica, inventing second and third acts to a transfer of affection that’s handled in a few pages in the novel. Anthony Paletta, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2025 On Tuesday's episode of the Good Hang podcast, Jones reflected on her brief stint on The Office as Karen Filippelli, an employee of the rival Dunder Mifflin Stamford branch and also rival to Jenna Fischer's Pam for the affection of John Krasinski's Jim. Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 26 Mar. 2025 Jayson celebrates Kayden with just as much love and affection. Nasha Smith, People.com, 26 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for affection
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affection
Noun
  • Post Malone and his new love have a taste for the finer things.
    Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • In the teaser, Khan serenades Indian actor Vaani Kapoor to the tune of a popular Hindi love song.
    Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Soggy soil is a breeding ground for destructive pests and diseases.
    Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Modern hybrids feature the best of both worlds, with better pest and disease resistance, high production and really good flavor.
    Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The combination of IoT and AI enables connected devices to collect, analyze and act on data in real-time.
    Rahul Saluja, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
  • Just in time for Christmas, certain members of Congress are hard at work in their policy shops, fashioning a massive lump of cybersecurity coal with which to gift American users of electronic devices.
    David Williams, National Review, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Overall, the analyst is bullish on EPD stock and views it as a core master limited partnership holding, having both offensive and defensive characteristics.
    TipRanks.com Staff, CNBC, 6 Apr. 2025
  • These are clones of individual grape varieties that have been bred to ensure certain characteristics, such as resistance to specific diseases.
    Tom Mullen, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The first 20 years of my career were at Houston Methodist Hospital (HMH), and my devotion was to the practice of medicine, caring for the critically ill and provide lifesaving opportunity to those in need of cardiac transplantation.
    John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
  • But Frank's loyalty to the fans bred a reciprocal devotion that could turn dark.
    Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The report said the FDA did not directly link drinking formula from the plant to any of the infants’ illnesses or deaths.
    Heather Vogell, ProPublica, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The Defense Department report noted hundreds of cases of Navy SEALs coming down with acute gastrointestinal illness, crippling diarrhea, from swimming and training in polluted waters just off the coast of Coronado and Imperial Beach.
    Kimberly Dickson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Stolarz’s inclination to shout instructions at teammates on the ice, often with serious levels of hostility in the name of competition, comes to him naturally.
    Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Tariffs are designed for a combination of reasons, including protecting domestic markets; inviting foreign investment; and becoming more effective using capabilities, inclinations, and talents in other parts of the world.
    Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Photo: Magnolia Pictures/Everett Collection Hechinger possesses that fundamental quality of a character actor: the ability to transform while also retaining a fundamental essence.
    Nate Jones, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The scientists edited mouse genes related to their hair and fat metabolism — two qualities woolly mammoths needed to survive in their Arctic habitat.
    Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Affection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affection. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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