affected
Putting on airs
Affected describes something influenced or changed by external forces: The affected areas were evacuated.
More commonly, affected means artificial or pretentious—behavior or speech that feels put on rather than natural: an affected British accent, Her laugh seemed affected.
The two senses come from different meanings of the verb affect: to influence versus to put on airs.
Feigning belief or feeling
- feignedFalsely displayed or simulated
- contrivedDeliberately manufactured, unnatural
- unnaturalContrary to normal order
- stiltedUnnaturally formal in expression
forced · phony · fake · put-on · disingenuous · false · mannered · stiff
Fraudulent person or thing
- disingenuousFeigning ignorance or innocence
- feignedFalsely displayed or simulated
- falseNot matching reality
- hypocriticalFeigning beliefs one lacks
two-faced · duplicitous · contrived · put-on · forced · hollow · fake · unauthentic
Unnaturally formal in expression
- artificialMade, not natural
- unnaturalContrary to normal order
- stiffNot easily bent
- woodenMade from timber
formal · precious · fussy · prim · studied · self-conscious · labored · overwrought
Exaggeratedly emotional in expression
- exaggeratedMade larger than reality
- hammyExcessively theatrical in style
- overactingExcessive theatrical performance
- showyExcessively eye-catching
stagey · performative · campy · overwrought · overplayed · histrionic · dramatic · flamboyant
Influenced or wedged in
- swayedMoved or persuaded
- alteredChanged from before
- shapedGiven a particular form
- modifiedChanged in some way
changed · transformed · conditioned · biased · molded · determined · governed · colored
Affected emotionally or physically
- stirredMixed by circular motion
- movedChanged location or felt
- emotionalShowing strong feelings
- tearfulProne to weeping
overwhelmed · struck · impacted · heartfelt · poignant · misty-eyed · sentimental · wistful
Excessively eye-catching
- flamboyantStrikingly bold in style
- gaudyTastelessly ornate
- flashyShowy, often tastelessly so
- garishTastelessly showy
theatrical · extravagant · overdone · ornate · glitzy · splashy · dramatic · embellished
Seriously affected by adversity
- impairedWeakened in function
- damagedMade worse by injury
- harmedCaused injury to
- troubledExperiencing distress or anxiety
beset · plagued · burdened · suffering · diseased · injured · wounded · blighted
Affectedly grand in manner
- snobbishCondescending toward perceived inferiors
- haughtyDisdainfully proud
- superciliousArrogantly contemptuous of others
- conceitedExcessively proud of oneself
self-important · grandiose · highfalutin · vainglorious · arrogant · smug · patronizing · condescending
insincere
Feigning belief or feeling
- feignedFalsely displayed or simulated
- contrivedDeliberately manufactured, unnatural
- unnaturalContrary to normal order
stilted · forced · phony · fake · put-on · disingenuous · false · mannered · stiff · studied
phony
Fraudulent person or thing
- disingenuousFeigning ignorance or innocence
- feignedFalsely displayed or simulated
- falseNot matching reality
hypocritical · two-faced · duplicitous · contrived · put-on · forced · hollow · fake · unauthentic · dishonest
stilted
Unnaturally formal in expression
- artificialMade, not natural
- unnaturalContrary to normal order
- stiffNot easily bent
wooden · formal · precious · fussy · prim · studied · self-conscious · labored · overwrought · forced
melodramatic
Exaggeratedly emotional in expression
- exaggeratedMade larger than reality
- hammyExcessively theatrical in style
- overactingExcessive theatrical performance
showy · stagey · performative · campy · overwrought · overplayed · histrionic · dramatic · flamboyant · ostentatious
impacted
Influenced or wedged in
modified · changed · transformed · conditioned · biased · molded · determined · governed · colored · tainted
touched
Affected emotionally or physically
tearful · overwhelmed · struck · impacted · heartfelt · poignant · misty-eyed · sentimental · wistful · nostalgic
showy
Excessively eye-catching
- flamboyantStrikingly bold in style
- gaudyTastelessly ornate
- flashyShowy, often tastelessly so
garish · theatrical · extravagant · overdone · ornate · glitzy · splashy · dramatic · embellished · exaggerated
stricken
Seriously affected by adversity
troubled · beset · plagued · burdened · suffering · diseased · injured · wounded · blighted · ravaged
pompous
Affectedly grand in manner
- snobbishCondescending toward perceived inferiors
- haughtyDisdainfully proud
- superciliousArrogantly contemptuous of others
conceited · self-important · grandiose · highfalutin · vainglorious · arrogant · smug · patronizing · condescending · overbearing
- influencedinspired, persuaded, motivated, swayed, impacted
- snobberysnob, snobbery, snooty, elitism, snoot
- theatricaltheatrical, dramatic, melodramatic, histrionic, hammy
- semantic rolesagent, patient, theme, instrument, goal
- Fussy traitsfussy, nitpicking, finicky, persnickety, pernickety
- gotten toreached, arrived, bothered, upset, annoyed
affectednatural
Not artificially produced
genuine · unaffected · sincere · authentic · artless
affectedunmoved
Not stirred physically/emotionally
unaffected · untouched · indifferent · unswayed · unperturbed
- public display of affectionRomantic acts in open
- deep affectionIntense emotional attachment
- motherly affectionTender care from one's female parent
- easily affectedProne to influence
- withholding affectionDeliberately denying emotional warmth
- public affectionRomantic display among strangers
affect, affecting, affection, affects, affectation, affective, affectedly, affectedness