English Reference
Adjective

unaffected

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˌənəˈfɛktɪd/ UK /ʌnɐfˈɛktɪd/ un·af·fect·ed

adj.not changed or influenced by something. You use this when someone stays calm or something stays the same even when things around them change.

adj.not changed, modified, or influenced by an external factor. Often describes a person's state of mind or the status of a physical object after an event.


SIMPLE

The old house remained unaffected by the storm.

CONTEXTUAL

Despite the sudden drop in stock prices, her long-term investment strategy remained unaffected.

COMPLEX

While many neighboring businesses were forced to close during the recession, the local bakery remained largely unaffected due to its loyal customer base and low overhead costs.

Usage

Often follows a linking verb like 'remain', 'stay', or 'be'.

Pitfall
he was unaffected from the newshe was unaffected by the news

The adjective 'unaffected' typically takes the preposition 'by' to indicate the source of influence.

We found that during the 10 years following a severe flood, the annual overdose death rate in flood-hit counties was 26% higher than in similar unaffected counties.

The Conversation· 18 Aug 2026

Etymology 1

From un- + affected.

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated