First Known Use: 1587
Dictionary
affected
adjective af·fect·ed \ə-ˈfek-təd, a-\
: not natural or genuine
Full Definition of AFFECTED
2
a : having or showing an attitude or mode of behavior that is not natural or genuinely felt : given to or marked by affectation <spoke in an affected manner> b : assumed artificially or falsely : pretended <an affected interest in art>
— af·fect·ed·ly adverb
— af·fect·ed·ness noun
See affected defined for English-language learners
See affected defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Examples of AFFECTED
- Leinart laughs with his friends about the parallels with his favorite TV show, but he's sensitive about the perception that he's an affected socialite. —Michael Silver, Sports Illustrated, 23 July 2007
- … he accused the literary establishment of eschewing good clean writing and advancing affected, artsy prose instead. —Judith Shulevitz, New York Times Book Review, 9 Sept. 2001
- Without this fraught boundary between old money and new, between inherited and affected tastes, some of our greatest writers would have had to find something else to write about. —E.B. Harper, Civilization, June/July 2000
- With a workmanlike thoroughness, they alter their diction and mannerisms for each new role—for example, Kidman drops her voice at least half an octave and adopts a suitably tailored upper-class accent to portray an affected starlet who carries a teddy bear to surreptitious trysts. —Celia Wren, Commonweal, 26 Feb. 1999
- [+]more
Origin of AFFECTED
(see 2affect)
Related to AFFECTED
- Synonyms
- artificial, assumed, bogus, contrived, factitious, fake, false, feigned, forced, mechanical, mock, phony (also phoney), plastic, pretended, pseudo, put-on, sham, simulated, spurious, strained, unnatural
- Antonyms
- artless, genuine, natural, spontaneous, unaffected, uncontrived, unfeigned, unforced
AFFECTEDNESS Defined for Kids
affected
adjective af·fect·ed \ə-ˈfek-təd\
Definition of AFFECTED for Kids
: not natural or genuine <affected manners>
— af·fect·ed·ly adverb <laughing affectedly>
Learn More About AFFECTED
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: affecterPrevious Word in the Dictionary: affectatiousAll Words Near: affected
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up affected? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).