1
as in romance
also affaire
a brief romantic relationship
an affair between two singles spending the summer at the same beach resort
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in event
a social gathering
the annual country club dance is a really fancy affair
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in production
something produced by physical or intellectual effort
the lead float in the parade was a pretty impressive affair, a giant eagle's head with equally huge wings
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in incident
something that happens
the whole affair from start to finish took a total of 15 minutes
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in matter
something to be dealt with
it's none of your affair whom I'm going out with tonight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of affair
Audiences quickly attached to the affair, seemingly thrilled by the idea of a second-chance love for two bona fide movie stars in their own right.
—
Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
The VMAs are synonymous with over-the-top fashion — who could forget Chappell Roan’s sword from last year’s affair or Cardi B’s hair clip gown in 2023— and this year has been no different.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 7 Sep. 2025
In between all the jokes, the film stops more than once to basically lecture on this sad state of affairs, an admirable Sturges-like approach that gets laid on thick, perhaps too thick to merge successfully with the largely comedic rhythm Ansari has established so well.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 7 Sep. 2025
Need someone to absorb your wife’s anger over that extramarital affair without inconveniencing your mistress?
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for affair
Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
The VMAs are synonymous with over-the-top fashion — who could forget Chappell Roan’s sword from last year’s affair or Cardi B’s hair clip gown in 2023— and this year has been no different.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 7 Sep. 2025
In between all the jokes, the film stops more than once to basically lecture on this sad state of affairs, an admirable Sturges-like approach that gets laid on thick, perhaps too thick to merge successfully with the largely comedic rhythm Ansari has established so well.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 7 Sep. 2025
Need someone to absorb your wife’s anger over that extramarital affair without inconveniencing your mistress?
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for affair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affair
Noun
-
For her, bedrooms and dining rooms, in particular, benefit from the romance and visual depth these prints offer.—
Sophie Flaxman,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The pair rekindled their romance after a five-month break in early 2025.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In her most recent outing, which served as the co-main event of UFC 315 in May of this year, Shevchenko successfully defended her title for the first time in her second reign with a unanimous decision win over Manon Fiorot.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The mission of those events is to get the truck in front of people who are interested in it, those who are already reservation holders and to introduce the company and truck to people who have never heard of Slate.—
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In addition to Krakowski's casting, producers also announced that the production will extend again, with tickets now available through July 5, 2026.—
Dave Quinn,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Greene went on to appear in over 200 film and television productions, including movies The Green Mile, Maverick, two installments of The Twilight Saga, and Die Hard With a Vengeance, along with series Goliath, Tulsa King, and Reservation Dogs.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The Wembley incident, however, has prompted far broader criticism and reignited debate around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.—
Heather Hunter,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The incident came after the aide saw federal agents detaining migrants outside a courtroom in the same building as Nadler's office.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The discussions come in the wake of the shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school last month that federal officials have said was carried out by a transgender shooter, according to a person familiar with the matter.—
Alanna Durkin Richer,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Sep. 2025
-
On the other hand, according to sources familiar with the matter, there is a lack of oversight and accountability regarding areas such as, but not limited to, staff and player recruitment, quality of coaching, day to day operations and long term-planning.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
That veil of secrecy adds an extra layer of intrigue to the global supercomputing rivalry, as the world wonders which nation will command the next leap into zeta-scale power.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Standing by the couch, he's shown staring at the television screen in intrigue, before glancing back at his daughters watching the film.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In July's upper-house election, opposition parties campaigning on consumption tax cuts made significant gains, weakening Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's coalition.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Clooney’s intervention helped pave the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to become the Democratic front-runner, a shift that dramatically reshaped the party’s strategy just months before the Democratic National Convention.—
Heather Hunter,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Each cabin also comes complete with high-end amenities like Dyptique Paris bath products, Bose Bluetooth speakers, and Nespresso coffee makers.—
Katie Nadworny,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Other items listed in the top 20 product groups responsible for injuries included exercise equipment, cans, basketballs, ladders, desks, rugs and bathtubs.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Affair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affair. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share