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
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2
as in event
a social gathering
the annual country club dance is a really fancy affair
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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
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4
as in incident
something that happens
the whole affair from start to finish took a total of 15 minutes
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5
as in matter
something to be dealt with
it's none of your affair whom I'm going out with tonight
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of affair
But Arendt’s knowledge of the Dreyfus affair was limited, as was her general knowledge of the history of antisemitism in France.
—
Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
Foster, who was 12 at the time, recently revealed that making the film a family affair was her mother's idea.
—Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Feb. 2026
That network partnership is also the reason the All-Star Game was an afternoon affair on the West Coast, because NBC airs the Winter Olympics at night.
—Greg Beacham, Twin Cities, 16 Feb. 2026
The two men will be arrested in less than a day, but they’ve been given a little time to get their affairs in order.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for affair
Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
Foster, who was 12 at the time, recently revealed that making the film a family affair was her mother's idea.
—Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Feb. 2026
That network partnership is also the reason the All-Star Game was an afternoon affair on the West Coast, because NBC airs the Winter Olympics at night.
—Greg Beacham, Twin Cities, 16 Feb. 2026
The two men will be arrested in less than a day, but they’ve been given a little time to get their affairs in order.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for affair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affair
Noun
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This enchanting and timeless tale, filled with the romance and grandeur audiences know and love, features spectacular new sets and dazzling costumes.—
Rick Mauch,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Feb. 2026
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If all of their notoriously violent fights are going to be like this, the show is going to struggle to sustain the tumultuousness of their romance.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Four years later, Bruna Moura finally made it to the start line of an event at the Olympic Games – the qualification race for the Sprint Classic.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Leaders used the event to assess both the drone’s performance and the readiness of troops assigned to fly and manage it.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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China is pairing dominant-market level tech with emerging-market production costs, backed by its massive supply chain, Green said.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
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Her production team includes stage manager Sara Dailey, production manager Coco Sein and assistant director Adelina Rocha.—
Regina Elling,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The investigation into the incident remains active, and anyone with information is asked to call the Aurora Police Department’s Investigations Division at 630-256-5500, the release stated.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
With new, more advanced carriers under construction, China’s operational range is set to stretch far beyond its coastal waters, increasing the likelihood of incidents in open seas where timely salvage operations could prove challenging, the South China Morning Post reports.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Illinois, meanwhile, had no issue raining shots from long range in the first half, or speeding past USC through the lane, for that matter.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The appeals court didn’t attempt to resolve the underlying issue, but agreed with state officials that Huntington Beach’s charter-city status doesn’t give it the authority over election-integrity issues, which are a state matter.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Sabrina Bartlett appears in Bridgerton season 1 as Siena Rosso, an opera singer who has a secret fling with Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey).—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Feb. 2026
-
In fact, the illicit couple seemed to enjoy flaunting their fling.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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That low approval, along with the lack of a de facto party leader, has led to a number of Democratic lawmakers offering their views on how the party can make gains among the electorate, particularly working-class voters.—
Max Rego,
The Hill,
16 Feb. 2026
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Magyar, a former insider in Orbán's nationalist Fidesz party, burst onto Hungary's political scene in 2024 after breaking with his political community and quickly forming the center-right Tisza party.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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And when policy changes happen, car companies need time to figure out their plans for future products.—
Julian Torres,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
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Lead, a heavy metal once common in products like pipes and paints, is a neurotoxin that can stunt children’s development, lower IQ scores and increase blood pressure in adults.—
Michael Phillis,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Affair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affair. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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