Afect vs. Affect: Which is the Correct Spelling?

"Afect" is an incorrect spelling of the word "affect."
"Affect" is a verb that means to produce a change or influence something.

For example...

❌ The positive news about the economy began to afect people's confidence in the financial market.

✅ The positive news about the economy began to affect people's confidence in the financial market.

In this sentence, "affect" refers to the news influencing or producing a change in people's confidence.

What does "affect" mean?

"Affect" describes the act of having an impact on something or someone. This impact can be direct or indirect, positive or negative, and temporary or permanent. For example:

The new policy will affect the company's profit margins. (Direct and measurable impact)
The teacher's passionate speech affected the students deeply. (Indirect and emotional impact)
The economic recession affected many families across the country. (Widespread and lasting impact)

Afect vs. Affect: Which is the Correct Spelling?

The use of "afect" and "affect" over time

The Ngram graph below shows how often "afect" and "affect" have been used from the 1800s to the 2000s. "Affect" has seen steady use until peaking in the 1980s, while its misspelling "afect" has seen nearly zero use.

How to pronounce "affect"

In both British and American English, "affect" is pronounced like "uh·fekt".

Additional notes:
This is just the standard pronunciation, and there may be slight variations depending on regional accents and individual speech patterns.

Why would we misspell "affect" as "afect"?

Typo: "Afect" is essentially "affect" with a missing "f," which means someone could accidentally skip the "f," especially when typing quickly or not focusing closely on the spelling.
Phonetic confusion: Some individuals might spell it as "afect" because the pronunciation of the word might lead them to believe that it only needs a single "f".

Other common misspellings of "affect"

Afect
Afffect
Affectt
Afeect
Affecte

Example sentences of the misspelling of "affect" as "afect"

"Afect" is not the correct way to spell the word; it should be "affect."
There seems to be a misunderstanding; the proper spelling is "affect," not "afect."
Don't fall into the common error of using "afect" when you mean to use "affect."
It's crucial to use the correct spelling; in this case, it's "affect," not "afect."
If you want to convey the intended meaning, remember to use "affect," not the incorrect spelling "afect."

Example sentences of "affect"

The teacher explained how climate change could affect ecosystems.
Her smile had a positive affect on the entire room.
The new policy will likely affect the company's bottom line.
The sudden news seemed to affect his overall mood.
The economic downturn will affect various industries differently.
The medication can affect different individuals in unique ways.
The artist hoped his work would affect people on an emotional level.
The decision to relocate may affect the employees' daily commute.
A positive attitude can affect one's overall well-being.
The global pandemic continues to affect economies worldwide.

Check out our other related blog posts:
🖊️ Affect vs. Effect
🖊️ Affended vs. Offended: Which is the Correct Spelling?

Synonyms for "affect"

Influence
Impact
Modify
Shape
Change

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References:

Definition of AFFECT

to produce an effect upon (someone or something):; to act on and cause a change in (someone or something); to cause illness, symptoms, etc., in (someone or something)… See the full definition

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