Effect vs. Affect — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 1, 2023
Effect is the result of an action, while affect is to influence or make a difference to.
Difference Between Effect and Affect
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Effect refers to a change that has occurred due to a particular influence or action. Affect, however, denotes the act of making an impact or causing a change. Both words relate to change but from different perspectives – one as a result and the other as an action.
Effect is a noun in most contexts, representing the outcome or consequence of something. Affect is typically a verb that describes the action of impacting or influencing. While effect is something that can be observed, affect is something one does.
In psychology, effect can mean an emotional or psychological change. Affect, in a psychological context, refers to the experience of feeling or emotion. Each term plays a role in the analysis of behavior and mental processes.
The effectiveness of a program is measured by its outcomes or effects. How that program affects individuals is a matter of the influence it exerts on their behavior or circumstances. Effectiveness is the degree of desirable outcomes, while affecting is the process of creating an impact.
Effect can also be a verb, meaning to cause something to happen (less common). Affect as a noun is used in psychology to describe an observed emotion but is not common in everyday language. Both terms, even in their less common forms, are linked to change.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Usually a noun.
Usually a verb.
Meaning
Result or outcome.
To influence or impact.
Usage in a Sentence
"The effect was surprising."
"The news affected her deeply."
Field of Use
General English, science.
Psychology, general English.
Derivatives
Effective, effectiveness.
Affective, unaffected.
Compare with Definitions
Effect
Result
The new law had an immediate effect on travel.
Affect
Make a difference to
The teacher's support can affect a student's confidence.
Effect
Impact
The effect of his speech was powerful.
Affect
To act on
Pollution can negatively affect air quality.
Effect
Consequence
The storm had a devastating effect on the coastline.
Affect
To have an influence on or effect a change in
Inflation affects the buying power of the dollar.
Effect
Something brought about by a cause or agent; a result.
Affect
To act on the emotions of; touch or move.
Effect
The power to produce an outcome or achieve a result
The government's action had little effect on the trade imbalance.
Affect
To attack or infect, as a disease
Rheumatic fever can affect the heart.
Effect
Advantage; avail
Used her words to great effect in influencing the jury.
Affect
To put on a false show of; simulate
Affected a British accent.
Effect
The condition of being in full force or execution; operativeness
A new regulation that goes into effect tomorrow.
Affect
To have or show a liking for
Affects dramatic clothes.
Effect
Something that produces a specific impression or supports a general design or intention
The lighting effects emphasized the harsh atmosphere of the drama.
Affect
(Archaic) To fancy; love.
Effect
A particular impression
Large windows that gave an effect of spaciousness.
Affect
To tend to by nature; tend to assume
A substance that affects crystalline form.
Effect
Production of a desired impression
Spent lavishly on dinner just for effect.
Affect
To imitate; copy
"Spenser, in affecting the ancients, writ no language" (Ben Jonson).
Effect
The basic or general meaning; import
He said he was greatly worried, or words to that effect.
Affect
Feeling or emotion, especially as manifested by facial expression or body language
"The soldiers seen on television had been carefully chosen for blandness of affect" (Norman Mailer).
Effect
Effects Movable belongings; goods.
Affect
(Obsolete) A disposition, feeling, or tendency.
Effect
To bring about; make happen; cause or accomplish
Effect a cure for a disease.
Effect a change in policy. See Usage Note at affect1.
Affect
(transitive) To influence or alter.
The experience affected me deeply.
The heat of the sunlight affected the speed of the chemical reaction.
Effect
The result or outcome of a cause.
The effect of the hurricane was a devastated landscape.
Affect
(transitive) To move to emotion.
He was deeply affected by the tragic ending of the play.
Effect
Impression left on the mind; sensation produced.
Affect
Of an illness or condition, to infect or harm (a part of the body).
Hepatitis affects the liver.
Effect
Execution; performance; realization; operation.
Affect
To dispose or incline.
Effect
(uncountable) The state of being binding and enforceable, as in a rule, policy, or law.
The new law will come into effect on the first day of next year.
Affect
To tend to by affinity or disposition.
Effect
An illusion produced by technical means (as in "special effect")
The effect of flying was most convincing.
Affect
To assign; to appoint.
Effect
(sound engineering) An alteration, or device for producing an alteration, in sound after it has been produced by an instrument.
I use an echo effect here to make the sound more mysterious.
I just bought a couple of great effects.
Affect
To burden (property) with a fixed charge or payment, or other condition or restriction.
Effect
A scientific phenomenon, usually named after its discoverer.
Doppler effect
Affect
(transitive) To make a show of; to put on a pretense of; to feign; to assume. To make a false display of.
To affect ignorance
To affect a British accent
He managed to affect a smile despite feeling quite miserable.
Effect
Belongings, usually as personal effects.
Affect
To aim for, to try to obtain.
Effect
Consequence intended; purpose; meaning; general intent; with to.
Affect
To feel affection for (someone); to like, be fond of.
Effect
(obsolete) Reality; actual meaning; fact, as distinguished from mere appearance.
Affect
To show a fondness for (something); to choose.
Effect
(obsolete) Manifestation; expression; sign.
Affect
(psychology) A subjective feeling experienced in response to a thought or other stimulus; mood, emotion, especially as demonstrated in external physical signs.
Effect
(transitive) To make or bring about; to implement.
The best way to effect change is to work with existing stakeholders.
Affect
(obsolete) One's mood or inclination; mental state.
Effect
Misspelling of affect
Affect
(obsolete) A desire, an appetite.
Effect
Execution; performance; realization; operation; as, the law goes into effect in May.
That no compunctious visitings of natureShake my fell purpose, nor keep peace betweenThe effect and it.
Affect
To act upon; to produce an effect or change upon.
As might affect the earth with cold heat.
The climate affected their health and spirits.
Effect
Manifestation; expression; sign.
All the large effectsThat troop with majesty.
Affect
To influence or move, as the feelings or passions; to touch.
A consideration of the rationale of our passions seems to me very necessary for all who would affect them upon solid and pure principles.
Effect
In general: That which is produced by an agent or cause; the event which follows immediately from an antecedent, called the cause; result; consequence; outcome; fruit; as, the effect of luxury.
The effect is the unfailing index of the amount of the cause.
Affect
To love; to regard with affection.
As for Queen Katharine, he rather respected than affected, rather honored than loved, her.
Effect
Impression left on the mind; sensation produced.
Patchwork . . . introduced for oratorical effect.
The effect was heightened by the wild and lonely nature of the place.
Affect
To show a fondness for; to like to use or practice; to choose; hence, to frequent habitually.
For he does neither affect company, nor is he fit for it, indeed.
Do not affect the society of your inferiors in rank, nor court that of the great.
Effect
Power to produce results; efficiency; force; importance; account; as, to speak with effect.
Affect
To dispose or incline.
Men whom they thought best affected to religion and their country's liberty.
Effect
Consequence intended; purpose; meaning; general intent; - with to.
They spake to her to that effect.
Affect
To aim at; to aspire; to covet.
This proud man affects imperial way.
Effect
The purport; the sum and substance.
Affect
To tend to by affinity or disposition.
The drops of every fluid affect a round figure.
Effect
Reality; actual meaning; fact, as distinguished from mere appearance.
No other in effect than what it seems.
Affect
To make a show of; to put on a pretense of; to feign; to assume; as, to affect ignorance.
Careless she is with artful care,Affecting to seem unaffected.
Thou dost affect my manners.
Effect
Goods; movables; personal estate; - sometimes used to embrace real as well as personal property; as, the people escaped from the town with their effects.
Resolving all events, with their effectsAnd manifold results, into the willAnd arbitration wise of the Supreme.
Shun the bitter consequence, for know,The day thou eatest thereof, . . . thou shalt die.
Affect
To assign; to appoint.
One of the domestics was affected to his special service.
Effect
To produce, as a cause or agent; to cause to be.
So great a body such exploits to effect.
Affect
Affection; inclination; passion; feeling; disposition.
Effect
To bring to pass; to execute; to enforce; to achieve; to accomplish.
To effect that which the divine counsels had decreed.
They sailed away without effecting their purpose.
Affect
The emotional complex associated with an idea or mental state. In hysteria, the affect is sometimes entirely dissociated, sometimes transferred to another than the original idea.
Effect
A phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon;
The magnetic effect was greater when the rod was lengthwise
His decision had depressing consequences for business
He acted very wise after the event
Affect
The conscious subjective aspect of feeling or emotion
Effect
An outward appearance;
He made a good impression
I wanted to create an impression of success
She retained that bold effect in her reproductions of the original painting
Affect
Have an effect upon;
Will the new rules affect me?
Effect
(of a law) having legal validity;
The law is still in effect
Affect
Act physically on; have an effect upon
Effect
A symptom caused by an illness or a drug;
The effects of sleep loss
The effect of the anesthetic
Affect
Connect closely and often incriminatingly;
This new ruling affects your business
Effect
An impression (especially one that is artificial or contrived);
He just did it for effect
Affect
Make believe with the intent to deceive;
He feigned that he was ill
He shammed a headache
Effect
The central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work
Affect
Have an emotional or cognitive impact upon;
This child impressed me as unusually mature
This behavior struck me as odd
Effect
Produce;
The scientists set up a shockwave
Affect
Influence
The economy affects market trends.
Effect
Act so as to bring into existence;
Effect a change
Affect
Change emotion
The movie deeply affected me.
Effect
Change
The medication has a side effect of drowsiness.
Affect
Pretend
He affected indifference, but he was upset.
Effect
Outcome
They felt the positive effect of the training program.
Common Curiosities
Can "affect" be a noun?
Rarely, in psychology, it refers to an observable emotion.
How does "affect" differ as a verb?
As a verb, it means to influence or change something.
Can "effect" be a verb?
Yes, to "effect" something means to bring it about.
What does "effect" mean in film?
It refers to visual or sound alterations or results in cinema.
How does technology "affect" society?
Technology influences society by changing lifestyles and communication.
Is it "effect change" or "affect change"?
Usually "effect change" since it means to cause the change to happen.
What's a synonym for "effect"?
Impact, outcome, or consequence can be synonyms for "effect".
What is an "adverse effect"?
It's a harmful or negative outcome.
When should I use "effect"?
Use "effect" when you're referring to the result of a change.
What is the "effect" of global warming?
The effects include climate change, rising sea levels, and extreme weather.
What does "affect" mean in medicine?
It's about how a condition can influence a person's physical state.
Can you "affect" an "effect"?
Yes, your actions (affect) can create a result (effect).
How does mood "affect" performance?
Mood can influence performance by altering motivation and concentration.
Is "special effects" or "special affects" correct?
"Special effects" is correct when referring to techniques used in films.
Does "effect" ever relate to emotion?
Indirectly, as emotions can be the effect of certain experiences.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Ostracise vs. Ostracize
Next Comparison
Conflate vs. ConfoundAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
