affect

v.

1. To have an effect upon

   influence, sway, impress, alter, modify, change, transform, act on, work on, induce, move, be of importance to, concern, interest, be of interest to, impact on, hit, impair, harm, attack, afflict, strike, grip, seize; see also influence.

2. To pretend

   assume, take on, feign, put on; see pretend 1.

3. To move emotionally

   touch, stir, sway; see move 3.

affect implies the producing of an effect strong enough to evoke a reaction interest rates affect housing sales; her death affected us deeply; to influence is to affect in such a way as to produce a change in action, thought, nature, or behavior to influence legislation; impress is used of that which produces a deep or lasting effect on the mind; touch and the stronger move, as considered here, are both applied to the arousing of sympathy or other emotion, but move also denotes influencing so as to bring about a change or a show of feeling his story moved me to tears; sway emphasizes influence intended to turn a person from a given course threats will not sway us See also syn. study at pretend.