affected
1 Americanadjective
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acted upon; influenced.
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influenced in a harmful way; impaired, harmed, or attacked, as by climate or disease.
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(of the mind or feelings) impressed; moved; touched.
She was deeply affected by their generosity.
adjective
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assumed artificially; unnatural; feigned.
affected sophistication; an affected British accent.
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assuming or pretending to possess that which is not natural.
Her affected wealth and social pedigree are so obviously false that it's embarrassing.
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inclined or disposed.
well affected toward the speaker's cause.
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held in affection; fancied.
a novel much affected by our grandparents.
adjective
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behaving, speaking, etc, in an artificial or assumed way, esp in order to impress others
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feigned
affected indifference
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archaic inclined; disposed
adjective
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deeply moved, esp by sorrow or grief
he was greatly affected by her departure
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changed, esp detrimentally
Other Word Forms
- affectedly adverb
- affectedness noun
Etymology
Origin of affected1
First recorded in 1570–80; affect 1 + -ed 2
Origin of affected2
Explanation
Something that's affected is influenced or acted upon. If a bottle of ointment says "apply to the affected area," you should put the medication only on the parts of your skin that touched the poison ivy. One of the most common vocabulary mix-ups is effect and affect: effect is usually a noun, and affect is usually a verb that means "to influence" of "act upon." Affected is the adjective form of the verb. After a flood, affected homeowners might try to get insurance. A sad movie might leave you deeply affected. The word can also refer to behavior that's done only to impress someone: if you're acting affected, you might use big, fake melodramatic gestures.
Vocabulary lists containing affected
The Catcher in the Rye
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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
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The Words of Nick Carraway
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"We encourage full participation and welcome any feedback, comments, or insights from those affected by, or with an interest in, the scheme."
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
The acquisition could also reduce local news competition and diminish coverage in affected markets, said the plaintiffs.
From Barron's • Apr. 18, 2026
Supermarket chain Spar separately confirmed the recall, saying customers would be able to return affected products in exchange for a full refund.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
"I don't know if I'm going to coach next season. I have no rush to know it. The decision has not been affected by any other club."
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
Tomorrow I shall put away my ‘fuss and feathers’ and be desperately good again,” she answered with an affected little laugh.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
