dalliance

noun

dal·​li·​ance ˈda-lē-ən(t)s 

: an act of dallying: such as

a

: play

especially : amorous play

had dalliances with several women before getting married

b

: frivolous action : trifling

had a brief dalliance with acting

Synonyms

• relaxation
• recreation
• fun
• amusement
• entertainment
• enjoyment

Examples of dalliance in a Sentence

an extremely serious scientist who is not much given to dalliance or idle chitchat

Recent Examples on the Web

But Julius winds up in Vegas in a romance with a fellow casino employee (Diego Calva) while Muriel has her own secret dalliance with a neighbor (Sasha Calle). —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025

This, however, is not Evangelista’s first dalliance with the criminal underworld. —Peter White, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2025

Throughout season 1, Belly has a brief dalliance with Cam Cameron, a sweet, vaguely unimportant local boy. —Meg Walters, Glamour, 31 July 2025

But its recent dalliance with neo-Nazism — and, before that, with race relations in Musk’s native South Africa — made the chatbot an object of derision in the industry and among the broader public. —David Ingram, NBC news, 22 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

dalliance

noun

dal·​li·​ance ˈdal-ē-ən(t)s 

1

: play entry 1 sense 2

especially : the act of flirting

2

: action lacking in importance or seriousness

a short dalliance with politics