# affected

/əˈfɛktɪd/ (US) · /ɐfˈɛktɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/affected
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. changed or influenced

adjective · CEFR B2

changed or influenced by something else, often in a negative way.

For teachers: influenced, changed, or impacted by an external factor, frequently used in medical or environmental contexts.

- The areas affected by the flood are still without electricity.
- The regions most severely affected by the drought have seen a significant decline in agricultural output over the last three fiscal quarters.

### 2. artificial or fake

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

acting in a way that is not natural or sincere, usually to impress people.

For teachers: artificial, pretentious, or designed to impress; describing behavior or speech that lacks genuineness.

- He spoke with an affected accent that made him sound like he was from another country.
- Her affected mannerisms and constant name-dropping made it difficult for her colleagues to engage with her on a professional level.

### 3. emotionally moved

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

feeling strong emotions because of something you have seen or heard.

For teachers: emotionally moved or touched by a particular experience or piece of information.

- She was deeply affected by the sad news of her friend's accident.
- The audience was visibly affected by the soloist's haunting performance, remaining in silence for several moments after the final note.

### 5. a person impacted

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

a person who has been hurt or changed by something like a disease or a disaster.

For teachers: a person who is impacted by a specific condition, disaster, or disease; often used in the plural.

- The government is providing extra support for the affected of the earthquake.
- The clinical trial focused on the long-term recovery of the affected, specifically those who had exhibited symptoms for more than six months.

## Examples

- The cold weather affected the plants in the garden.
- The new government policy will likely affect thousands of small businesses across the country next year.
- Economists are still debating how the sudden shift in interest rates affected consumer spending patterns during the final quarter of the fiscal year.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.