Attraction refers to the power or quality that draws a person to another person, an idea or a thing. An affinity is a natural or instinctive attraction or inclination: an affinity among children of the same age. Attraction means the power to attract. If a woman has an attraction for a man, he is attracted or has an affinity for her; nothing is implied about the woman’s feelings towards the man. Affinity is also used to refer to any individual preference or liking that is presumed to be deep-seated or stem from one’s nature or background: an affinity for Italian files; an affinity for mystery novels.

Sympathy , as here considered, refers to an agreement of affections, inclinations or temperaments that makes people agreeable to one another. Two people are in sympathy if they have like affinities ?for example, if they share the same tastes in art, recreation or food.