1
as in passions
a feeling of strong or constant regard for and dedication to someone
an elderly couple showing their affection for each other by little acts of kindness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in diseases
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
born with a heart affection that later caused him problems
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in inclinations
a habitual attraction to some activity or thing
I'm rooting for the Cubs—just my natural affection for the underdog, I guess
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in characteristics
something that sets apart an individual from others of the same kind
religion, of one kind or another, is an affection common to every society known to have existed
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 affections
Overall, Venus in Libra will be a whimsical time to embrace our affections and aspirations for a select group of special people or one individual in particular.
—
Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 14 Oct. 2025
Macken played Davis Collins, a rancher who served as a rival to Josh Duhamel’s Staten Kirkland — and also competed with Staten for the affections of Minka Kelly’s Quinn O’Grady.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 22 Sep. 2025
Venus in Virgo’s affections are expressed through thoughtful acts and attention to details — proving devotion through consistency.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
The bonds in Task are between men and other men, whether the backdrop is a barroom or a church; the loyalties, power structures, rivalries, and affections are all patriarchal.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025
And in the very final paragraph of Mansfield Park, the object of Fanny’s affections is not a person so much as a property.
—Lucy Worsley
september 16, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2025
The new film from the husband-and-lesbian-wife duo Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke features Margaret Qualley playing gay (again) as the titular detective Honey, with Aubrey Plaza co-starring as a gruff cop who is the object of her affections.
—James Factora, Them., 21 Aug. 2025
He was considered a front runner during the season for Windey’s affections, however, things didn't work out.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Yes, a 41-year-old LeBron James might be available, but this is nothing like when Riley went to market in 2010 with a 25-year-old LeBron James as the object of his affections.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025
Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 14 Oct. 2025
Macken played Davis Collins, a rancher who served as a rival to Josh Duhamel’s Staten Kirkland — and also competed with Staten for the affections of Minka Kelly’s Quinn O’Grady.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 22 Sep. 2025
Venus in Virgo’s affections are expressed through thoughtful acts and attention to details — proving devotion through consistency.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
The bonds in Task are between men and other men, whether the backdrop is a barroom or a church; the loyalties, power structures, rivalries, and affections are all patriarchal.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025
And in the very final paragraph of Mansfield Park, the object of Fanny’s affections is not a person so much as a property.
—Lucy Worsley
september 16, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2025
The new film from the husband-and-lesbian-wife duo Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke features Margaret Qualley playing gay (again) as the titular detective Honey, with Aubrey Plaza co-starring as a gruff cop who is the object of her affections.
—James Factora, Them., 21 Aug. 2025
He was considered a front runner during the season for Windey’s affections, however, things didn't work out.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Yes, a 41-year-old LeBron James might be available, but this is nothing like when Riley went to market in 2010 with a 25-year-old LeBron James as the object of his affections.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affections
Noun
-
A lot of times, people are nervous to let their passions fully engulf them.—
Megan Sauer,
CNBC,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Still, Diana and Willie remained a team, supporting their son's passions and staying actively involved in his life.—
Nasha Smith,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Instead, the soldiers carried bacteria that cause enteric fever and relapsing fever, two diseases that may have hastened the army’s downfall.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Both diseases would have been deadly in the early 1800s in the absence of sanitary conditions and antibiotics.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The cosmos is asking us to define our aspirations and inclinations.—
Lisa Stardust,
Refinery29,
20 Oct. 2025
-
LaCombe, who played forward in his youth, has shown great improvement in his own end but still has the offensive inclinations to be a point producer.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
As America’s capital of both wine production and pleasant weather, California has any number of towns that capture this experience, each with distinguishing characteristics that suit different types of travelers.—
Justin Goldman,
AFAR Media,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Sadly, the Volvo EX30 missed its moment to be great, but retains some appealing characteristics.—
Mark Phelan,
Freep.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Salmonella rarely results in more serious ailments, which can include arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms.—
Eva Wen,
jsonline.com,
25 Oct. 2025
-
This is based on a mix of historical accounts, the discovery of body lice on the remains of soldiers (which carried the pathogens that transmitted the ailments), and DNA analyses conducted nearly a decade ago.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Darcy, who was Stelter’s colleague at CNN before co-founding the independent news outlet Status, lamented the recent tendencies of many large news organizations.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Your decision to grow them in containers makes sense as bulbs always make a lasting impression in dense container plantings and their garden takeover tendencies can be nullified.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Benefits of Almonds for Heart Health While combining dark chocolate and almonds has a positive impact on heart health, each food provides distinct cardioprotective qualities that contribute to these benefits.—
Anna Giorgi,
Verywell Health,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Casper’s down alternative pillow has also ranked in our best pillows on Amazon for its temperature-regulating qualities and the plushness of its microfiber fill.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
First, Yung suggested speaking with a doctor to rule out any underlying illnesses.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Getting into conflict with strays can leave them with severe injuries or new illnesses, which can be contracted from scratches or bites.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Affections.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affections. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share