affair

noun af·fair \ ə-ˈfer \

Definition of affair

1 a affairs plural :commercial, professional, public, or personal business

handles the company's public affairs

an expert in foreign affairs

b :matter, concern

How I choose to live is my affair, not yours.

2 :a procedure, action, or occasion only vaguely specified; also :an object or collection of objects only vaguely specified

Their house was a 2-story affair.

3 or less commonly affaire

a :a romantic or passionate attachment typically of limited duration :liaison 2b

had an affair with a coworker

b :a matter occasioning public anxiety, controversy, or scandal :case

the Watergate affair of the early 1970s

See affair defined for English-language learners

See affair defined for kids

Examples of affair in a Sentence

After the war, the government focused on its own domestic affairs.
They accused the U.S. of interfering in the internal affairs of other nations.
How I choose to live is my affair, not yours.
adulterous affairs between married men and single women

Recent Examples of affair from the Web

The first game was a see-saw affair from beginning to end.

— rick armstrong, Naperville Sun, "Strong finish against Batavia bodes well for Gisela Bode, Waubonsie Valley," 29 Aug. 2017
Civilian staffers, many who work in various public affairs offices, portrayed reporters.

— david anderson, The Aegis, "APG holds active shooter drill, hosts mock media conference afterward," 17 Aug. 2017
Teresa Manning, who will help oversee Title X grants as the deputy assistant secretary for population affairs, was a lobbyist with the National Right to Life Committee.

— rachel bluth, Kaiser Health News, "Senate Democrats Delay HHS Nominee Over Women’s Health Funding," 10 Aug. 2017
This being 1865, certain roadblocks naturally arise for her and Sebastian’s love affair, but none that Katherine can’t resolve with a bit of poison or something rougher.

— jake coyle, idahostatesman, "In ‘Lady Macbeth,’ a young wife’s bloody rebellion," 3 Aug. 2017
The Framers of our Constitution put foreign affairs in the hands of the President.

— charles p. pierce, Esquire, "Look, the President* Is a Busy Man," 2 Aug. 2017
Even China, a country that prides itself on subtlety in foreign affairs, has apparently reached its breaking point.

— maya kosoff, The Hive, "Chinese State Media Mocks Trump’s “Emotional Venting” on Twitter," 1 Aug. 2017
The North Korean Nuclear Threat, and How to Address It — Saagar Enjeti is the Pentagon and foreign-affairs correspondent for the Daily Caller News Foundation in Washington, D.C.

— saagar enjeti, National Review, "North Korea’s Nukes Are Probably Here to Stay," 31 July 2017
But already the GOP primary is shaping up to be a brutal affair that could lead to months of Republicans fighting each other more than the incumbent Donnelly.

— brian slodysko, Post-Tribune, "Messer announces U.S. Senate bid, fueling Indiana primary feud with Rokita," 26 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'affair.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of affair

Middle English afere, from Anglo-French afaire, from a faire to do

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

affair Synonyms

Synonyms

amour, fling, love, love affair, romance

Related Words

intrigue, liaison; dalliance, hanky-panky; attachment, infatuation; entanglement, flirtation; idyll (also idyl), passion; calf-love, puppy love

AFFAIR Defined for English Language Learners

affair

noun

Definition of affair for English Language Learners

affairs : work or activities done for a purpose : commercial, professional, public, or personal business
: a matter that concerns or involves someone
: a secret sexual relationship between two people

AFFAIR Defined for Kids

affair

noun af·fair \ ə-ˈfer \

Definition of affair for Students

1 affairs plural :work or activities done for a purpose :business

government affairs

2 :something that relates to or involves someone

His problem is no affair of mine.

3 :a social event or activity The party was to be a simple affair.

Learn More about affair

See words that rhyme with affair Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for affair Spanish Central: Translation of affair Nglish: Translation of affair for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of affair for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up affair? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

affair

Definition of affair

Examples of affair in a Sentence

Recent Examples of affair from the Web

Origin and Etymology of affair

affair Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

AFFAIR Defined for English Language Learners

affair

Definition of affair for English Language Learners

AFFAIR Defined for Kids

affair

Definition of affair for Students

Learn More about affair

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

hew

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

The Origins of 'Lobbyist'

The History of the Word 'Terrorism'

'Regimen' vs. 'Regiment'

'Spox' May Go On The Record

Ask the Editors

Words of the Year: 1066

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Irregardless

Weird Plurals

Word Games

The Exceptions Quiz III

Forms of Government Quiz

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Word Winder's CrossWinder

The Exceptions Quiz III

The Origins of 'Lobbyist'

Trending: McCain: Half-Baked, 'Spurious' Nationalism

17 English Words that Come From Japanese

Words of the Year: 1066

affair

Definition of affair

Explore Merriam-Webster

Examples of affair in a Sentence

Recent Examples of affair from the Web

Origin and Etymology of affair

affair Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Phrases Related to AFFAIR

Related Phrases

AFFAIR Defined for English Language Learners

affair

Definition of affair for English Language Learners

AFFAIR Defined for Kids

affair

Definition of affair for Students

Learn More about affair

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

The Exceptions Quiz III

The Origins of 'Lobbyist'

Trending: McCain: Half-Baked, 'Spurious' Nationalism

17 English Words that Come From Japanese

Words of the Year: 1066