When is affect used as a noun

For example, we can say that something that affects a person has an effect on them. The more familiar word, affection , in modern use most often means "a feeling of liking and caring for someone or something.

Affect is both a noun and a verb, but the verb is far more common; it means "to act on or change someone or something," as in "The change will affect everyone. These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'affect.

Send us feedback. See more words from the same century. Accessed 12 Nov. More Definitions for affect. Nglish: Translation of affect for Spanish Speakers. Britannica English: Translation of affect for Arabic Speakers. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Log in Sign Up. Save Word. Definition of affect Entry 1 of 3. Hall The eruption of Krakatau in what is now Indonesia affected global sunsets for years … — Evelyn Browning Garriss Before the s it was not at all clear how nicotine affected the brain.

Lee Kagan. Definition of affect Entry 2 of 3. Bond : to be given to a preferred style of dress, speech, etc. Definition of affect Entry 3 of 3.

See, I told you to forget it! So it is useful to sharpen your understanding so that with a minimum of thought you can make a good editing decision when you encounter one of these words.

The following thoughts are intended to help equip you for such. Determine if the usage calls for a verb or a noun. You can affect an effect but you shouldn't effect an affect — that's acting. But they have no senses in common.

Both words can be used as either nouns or verbs, so that's not a foolproof distinction. His sunburn was a result of exposure to the sun. Effect might also catch you off guard because it appears in two common idioms: in effect , and take effect. Want to go deep? Much of the confusion surrounding this pair is due to a shared linguistic ancestor.

Sticking to the basic guideline of effect as a noun and affect as a verb will generally keep you in the clear. Less frequently, affect can be used as a noun to describe emotion in a psychological context. Example: A sad affect may be a symptom of depression. Affectionate is a related term with the same root word as affect. Example: We can effect a new and better society through reform.