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
In fact, [o]ne of its oldest and best-known specialties is bouillabaisse, originally a simple fisherman’s soup designed to use up all the leftover bits of the daily catch but today a much pricier and elaborate affair.
—
The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 June 2025
Take a look at the Paris Air Show — a sprawling affair enveloping Le Bourget Airport in the northeast of the French capital every two years.
—Ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 20 June 2025
After confronting Jamie over his affair with another woman and essentially kicking him out of the house, Spike takes Isla into the unknown.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 20 June 2025
The staff hates Simone, Simone is having a secret affair with Glenn Howerton as Ethan Corbin, the Kell’s also wealthy next-soor neighbor, and Devon ultimately shifts from anger to concern after realizing something is very off here.
—Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for affair
The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 June 2025
Take a look at the Paris Air Show — a sprawling affair enveloping Le Bourget Airport in the northeast of the French capital every two years.
—Ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 20 June 2025
After confronting Jamie over his affair with another woman and essentially kicking him out of the house, Spike takes Isla into the unknown.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 20 June 2025
The staff hates Simone, Simone is having a secret affair with Glenn Howerton as Ethan Corbin, the Kell’s also wealthy next-soor neighbor, and Devon ultimately shifts from anger to concern after realizing something is very off here.
—Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for affair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affair
Noun
-
Will Belly choose to keep her romance with Jeremiah going, or will Conrad find his way back to her heart — perhaps where he’s been all along?—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
What Will Happen in Love Island USA 2025? Love Island USA 2025 will follow the same format as previous seasons, with singles traveling to Fiji for a summer of romance and a chance at finding their one true love.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
His mother Scarlett and brother Lance flew in for the event to watch Wactor on screen one more time.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
26 June 2025
-
If there was any doubt that Cooper Flagg would be the first player selected in the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday night, it was dispelled within minutes of the event kicking off.—
Justin Birnbaum,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Noun
-
In addition to its classical theater repertoire, which includes production work at Yale Rep, the school has added classes that focus on camerawork and self-taping.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
23 June 2025
-
The next application window for film productions looking to qualify will be July 7-9 and for television productions August 25-27.—
Rance Collins,
IndieWire,
23 June 2025
Noun
-
The incident was reported Saturday at 3:17 p.m., and the latest update regarding this incident was made available on Saturday at 3:24 p.m.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 June 2025
-
The incident occurred on the stroke of full time at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte as Rudiger and Cabral had tussled in the Pachuca penalty area, and the Madrid defender went to ground holding his face.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
Noun
-
Legal Advice Clinic for Veterans: The Seminole County Legal Aid office hosts a free monthly legal advice clinic for veterans to get legal assistance with family law and housing law matters.—
Joe Rassel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 June 2025
-
The report, citing people familiar with the matter, said a deal was far from certain.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
After a three-year NBA apprenticeship as a minus-impact tease with the theoretical, hazy outlines of intrigue because of his height and length, Thor, 22, looked a bit more like an actual basketball player for the Cavs and Wizards last season.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
-
Researchers are hopeful that the results of this study will continue to fuel intrigue into the mysterious Denisovans and provide new methods for identifying more members of the Denisovan lineage in East Asia.—
Stephanie Edwards,
Discover Magazine,
19 June 2025
Noun
-
By doing so, the party was able to sidestep a Democratic filibuster and pass the bill with a simple majority.—
Elena Moore,
NPR,
1 July 2025
-
On paper, noncitizen voting could be sacrificed without much downside for the party.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
Meanwhile, outdoor markets serve as platforms for public engagement, featuring immersive IP experiences and cultural products.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
21 June 2025
-
All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors.—
Jacorey Moon,
Architectural Digest,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Affair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affair. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share