1
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 sense 2b
had an affair with a coworker
b
: a matter occasioning public anxiety, controversy, or scandal : case
the Watergate affair of the early 1970s
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 on the Web
Turner spent a decade in Indiana, but the NBA's two-time blocks leader seemed to be at an impasse with his state of affairs in Indianapolis.
—
Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
Left to right, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Indian minister of external affairs, and Dev Pragad, Newsweek CEO, speak onstage during a Newsweek Exclusive Fireside Chat With Indian Minister Of External Affairs, at 1 World Trade Center on June 30 in New York City.
—Jennifer Cunningham, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
Trump in recent days has also inserted himself into Israeli domestic affairs, calling for charges against Netanyahu in his ongoing corruption trial to be thrown out.
—Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
In fact, this year at the Preakness Alibi Breakfast, an annual affair at Pimlico where trainers, owners and others tell stories and trade barbs about their career and horses, Lukas and Baffert hijacked the event with witty repartee and joking much to the delight of those in attendance.
—John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for affair
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
Left to right, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Indian minister of external affairs, and Dev Pragad, Newsweek CEO, speak onstage during a Newsweek Exclusive Fireside Chat With Indian Minister Of External Affairs, at 1 World Trade Center on June 30 in New York City.
—Jennifer Cunningham, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
Trump in recent days has also inserted himself into Israeli domestic affairs, calling for charges against Netanyahu in his ongoing corruption trial to be thrown out.
—Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
In fact, this year at the Preakness Alibi Breakfast, an annual affair at Pimlico where trainers, owners and others tell stories and trade barbs about their career and horses, Lukas and Baffert hijacked the event with witty repartee and joking much to the delight of those in attendance.
—John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for affair
Cite this Entry
“Affair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affair. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
affair
noun
af·fair
ə-ˈfa(ə)r 
-ˈfe(ə)r
1
a
plural
: commercial, professional, public, or personal business
government affairs
arranged my affairs before leaving
b
: concern entry 2 sense 1, matter
not your affair at all
2
a
: event sense 1b, activity
a social affair
b
: product sense 2, thing
the house was a two-story affair
3
: a brief romantic relationship
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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