philander

verb

phi·​lan·​der fə-ˈlan-dər 

philandered; philandering fə-ˈlan-d(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

: to have casual or illicit sex with a person or with many people

especially : to be sexually unfaithful to one's spouse

—usually used of a man

… her philandering brother-in-law; and … the schoolteacher he philanders with.

—Judith Crist

Synonyms of philander

• cheat

Examples of philander in a Sentence

he can't seem to stop philandering, even now that he's on his fifth marriage

Recent Examples on the Web

More than 20 years later, a middle-aged Ash Williams spends his days drinking, philandering, and working that same dead-end job. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 10 July 2026

One was Buck Strickland, Hank Hill’s philandering boss, who has many of LBJ’s characteristics including carrying on conversations while on the toilet. — Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2026

About deluded coaches and philandering teammates and practice-field punch-ups. — Leander Schaerlaeckens june 8, Literary Hub, 8 June 2026

Specifically by unpacking Yasmin’s issues with her philandering father. — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 8 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

from obsolete philander lover, philanderer, probably from the name Philander

First Known Use

1737, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for philander

• bystander
• commander
• expander
• highlander
• leander
• meander
• brander
• candor
• dander
• gander
• grander
• hander

Kids Definition

philander

verb

phi·​lan·​der fə-ˈlan-dər 

philandered; philandering -d(ə-)riŋ 

: to be sexually unfaithful to one's wife

philanderer

-dər-ər 

noun