Synonym Chooser

How does the noun affinity differ from other similar words?

The words attraction and sympathy are common synonyms of affinity. While all three words mean "the relationship existing between things or persons that are naturally or involuntarily drawn together," affinity implies a susceptibility or predisposition on the part of the one drawn.

an affinity for mathematics

When might attraction be a better fit than affinity?

While in some cases nearly identical to affinity, attraction implies the possession by one thing of a quality that pulls another to it.

felt an attraction to danger

When would sympathy be a good substitute for affinity?

In some situations, the words sympathy and affinity are roughly equivalent. However, sympathy implies a reciprocal or natural relation between two things that are both susceptible to the same influence.

two minds in sympathy

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 affinity Adjusted names and elemental affinities of some Boons. Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025 Pope Francis has a special affinity for the basilica and its depiction of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus, Salus Populi Romani (Salvation of the People of Rome). Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 20 Feb. 2025 Its gear focuses on the skill Raw Power, which decreases weapon affinity but increases attack power. Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2025 Sure, Trump seemed very uninterested or knowledgeable about global issues and historically had an odd affinity for Vladimir Putin, but perhaps his vaunted negotiating skills could be deployed to bring about a resolution. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for affinity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affinity
Noun
  • His aptitude for pitching, Cotham said, was more advanced than anyone he’s known at that age.
    Matt Gelb, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Jordan Bianchi and Jeff Gluck, The Athletic: Gluck took Christopher Bell, citing the upped numbers of Toyotas on the road this year and Bell’s aptitude as an all-around racer.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 16 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Unable to fully process the pangs of rejection, Buck decides to write a play based on their early kinship and enlists the help of Beverly (Lupe Ontiveros) to stage the production at a local community theater in order to win Chuck’s affection.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2025
  • The obsession with lineage is at odds with the solidarity of the Middle Passage, which created new forms of kinship.
    Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Beyond The Basics Successful investing requires mastering behavioral tendencies, and effective retirement planning demands a clear view of your financial reality.
    Wayne Anderman, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Playing in a defense requires knowing the scheme, understanding how to react to opponents’ tendencies and teammates’ on-the-fly decisions and making game plan specific adjustments.
    Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Toward the end of high school, Allison found herself in an abusive relationship.
    Sarah Lustbader, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Johnson’s forte is the Manichean gangster movie, in that all his films interrogate the relationship between good and evil.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • This told them that all coral structures take their shape from individual polyps’ microscopic inclinations.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 Feb. 2025
  • His geopolitical inclinations have not changed, and his antidemocratic tendencies have only gotten worse.
    HAL BRANDS, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Then again, sometimes the latter are the most willing to accede to the association’s wishes.
    Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 3 Mar. 2025
  • The association’s president, Edward Habeeb, was instrumental in founding the park, and 243-acre Lake Habeeb, home to the bluest water in the state, was named in his honor.
    Trudy Haywood Saunders, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 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
  • And remember: The goal is to foster connection, not to shock or overwhelm nor underwhelm and be invisible. Authenticity In Leaders: Creating A Culture Of Trust And Innovation For leaders, the rules for bringing your whole self to work differ slightly.
    Anna Jankowska, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
  • While some couples might be able to pull strings from a personal friend of the artist, entertainment groups can help liaise connections even further.
    Shelby Wax, Vogue, 26 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Affinity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affinity. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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