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 And though nothing is guaranteed, the guide also seems to have an affinity for omakase-style experiences and tasting menus and look kindly upon chefs whose sister restaurants already have stars. Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2025 Image Wong appears to have never attempted a tag, though there were other affinities. Max Lakin, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025 The affinity fans feel speaks not only to the increasingly parasocial role that podcasts have taken in our lives post-pandemic, but the way female friendship has become a commercial enterprise. Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 10 Apr. 2025 Since her freshman season, Kenya changed the trajectory of RHOA with her over-the-top antics and affinity for pushing the boundaries of her castmates through verbal sparring, invading personal space, and being an overall contentious human being. Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for affinity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affinity
Noun
  • Because some teams, roles and individuals may have natural aptitudes for different setups.
    Eric Hutto, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
  • And that team happens to desperately need a player like Luka, with not just great basketball aptitude but with presence and personality – star power!
    Mirjam Swanson, Orange County Register, 6 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Another is that Brazil spent years playing friendlies all over the globe, prioritising revenue over kinship.
    Jack Lang, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
  • David Lowery takes the few elements that worked—mainly the special kinship between a boy and a dragon—and injects his own unique vision into the proceedings.
    Barry Levitt, TIME, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The tendency in the forecast has been for the front to set up across southeast portions of the Kansas City forecast area.
    Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2025
  • According to Limon-Rocha, various life stressors—such as starting a new school, being bullied, losing a beloved pet, or having a family member with health issues—can all trigger perfectionist tendencies.
    Sherri Gordon, Parents, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Williams never fussed about it, though and his relationships with many in the organization weren’t overly affected.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2025
  • These are the same individuals, former long-term girlfriends, who were involved in consensual relationships.
    KiMi Robinson, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Stolarz’s inclination to shout instructions at teammates on the ice, often with serious levels of hostility in the name of competition, comes to him naturally.
    Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Tariffs are designed for a combination of reasons, including protecting domestic markets; inviting foreign investment; and becoming more effective using capabilities, inclinations, and talents in other parts of the world.
    Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • But for Rodgers – who ran his best time in the two-mile his senior year at Wesleyan then stopped running – the association would pay off down the road.
    Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Brick Oliver, representing the homeowners association for the Cadence at Bainbridge, the development’s 55 and over community, said Thursday that 98% of respondents to the association’s survey opposed the In-N-Out.
    Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 19 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • However, instead of removing the minerals from the water, these devices make the minerals soluble in the water.
    Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Mar. 2025
  • However, these incidents underscore the importance of regularly updating your devices to stay protected against evolving threats.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Social cafes, team neighborhoods, writable walls, project zones, and quiet retreat areas all play a role in creating an environment that prioritizes human connection over digital efficiency.
    Ryan Anderson, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • During the program’s first 15 years, its officers were involved in a wide swath of epidemiological investigations in areas including lead paint exposure, a cancer cluster’s connection to birth defects, family planning practices and famine relief.
    Casey Luc, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Affinity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affinity. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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