Synonyms of affectionate

affectionate

adjective

ə-ˈfek-sh(ə-)nət 

as in loving

feeling or showing love

an affectionate child who gives hugs and kisses freely

Synonyms & Similar Words

• loving
• adoring
• passionate
• warm
• devoted
• fond
• compassionate
• caring
• tender
• tenderhearted
• friendly
• kind
• doting
• considerate
• romantic
• impassioned
• humane
• amorous
• fervent
• warmhearted
• erotic
• understanding
• cordial
• forgiving
• ardent
• amatory
• sentimental
• infatuated
• fatherly
• motherly
• brotherly
• lovesick
• erotical
• sisterly
• sappy
• mushy
• lovey-dovey
• enamored

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• aloof
• unloving
• indifferent
• distant
• dry
• detached
• antisocial
• pitiless
• cool
• remote
• standoffish
• uncaring
• reserved
• unbending
• unfeeling
• frosty
• offish
• unconcerned
• disaffected
• uninvolved
• unfriendly
• cold
• hard-hearted
• frigid
• ruthless
• callous
• heartless
• unsentimental
• unromantic
• cold-eyed
• soulless
• cold-blooded
• hard-boiled

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of affectionate

So, join the rest of the Airheads — a moniker that, in this case, isn’t an insult but rather an affectionate nickname for bigtime Air Supply fans — and enjoy a proper Valentine’s Day soundtrack. —Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2025

This morning, at the Capitol, Johnson walked over to his Senate Finance Committee colleague Bill Cassidy, a doctor and a passionate advocate for vaccination, and gave him an affectionate pat on the shoulder. —Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2025

Helbig was also an English teacher, eventually rising to a beloved department head over a 17-year career at Chicago’s Holy Trinity High School; many students have written affectionate tributes on social media. —Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2025

Over the last five seasons of her talk show, Barrymore has been both celebrated and criticized by viewers for her affectionate interview style, which often sees her holding hands or hugging guests. —EW.com, 31 Jan. 2025