as in romance
the series of social engagements shared by a couple looking to get married
their dating had been going on for so long that she was starting to wonder if she'd ever take that trip down the aisle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in accompanying
to go on a social engagement with
I don't want to date him—I'd rather just be friends
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in courting
to go on dates that may eventually lead to marriage
we dated for two years before we got engaged
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 dating
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2026
This is one of the best periods in a twelve-year cycle for true love and dating, fertility or connecting with children, expression and artistry, as well as hobbies and just having fun!
—
Kyle Thomas,
PEOPLE,
28 June 2026
After seven years of dating and the birth of their eldest child, Andrea married the billionaire heiress in a private civil ceremony in Monaco in August 2013.
—
Staff Author,
InStyle,
23 June 2026
Macleod and his colleagues sequenced the DNA of the plague victims, piecing together how they were related and (through radiocarbon dating) when each member of the family died.
—
ArsTechnica,
18 June 2026
Groucutt notes a significant issue in paleoethology relates to the dating of sites, as the techniques used can yield vastly different results.
—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
14 June 2026
There are some lingering elements of conservatism in eharmony, particularly its questions about faith and politics, but at least the app allows same-sex dating.
—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
Crow and her colleagues used radiometric dating and chemical analysis on NWA 12593 to successfully identify evidence of three major impact events in the moon’s past.
—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
10 June 2026
Dostal said radiocarbon dating of the wooden stoppers placed them roughly in the late 1700s.
—
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
Keyser was on the show for four episodes before she was removed from the Peacock dating show.
—
Kimi Robinson,
USA Today,
1 July 2026
After almost a decade of dating, Cristiano Ronaldo put a ring on it.
—
Freya Drohan,
InStyle,
30 June 2026
Working with the British Antarctic Survey, Thomson was mapping the area's rock layers and collected marine reptile fossils to help with future dating efforts.
—
CBS News,
30 June 2026
For a dip into some Western romance, Elsie Silver’s latest is about a bull rider, Emmett, who attempts to save his family farm by landing himself on a reality dating show.
—
Nissa Renzo,
PEOPLE,
30 June 2026
On Friday, Peacock announced the 21-year-old had been fired from the popular reality dating show.
—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
30 June 2026
Yes, Wilkins has been a country-music artist for some years now, with releases dating back to 2015 on her Instagram that featured, spoiler alert, American-flag cover art.
—
Marissa R. Moss,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2026
The Juszczyks became friendly with Swift after Kelce started dating her in 2023 — enough that Kristin enjoyed a career-defining moment as an aspiring fashion designer, courtesy of the Grammy winner.
—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
24 June 2026
Noun
Online dating remains a popular way people search for a partner but some are dumping the platforms.
—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2026
This is one of the best periods in a twelve-year cycle for true love and dating, fertility or connecting with children, expression and artistry, as well as hobbies and just having fun!
—
Kyle Thomas,
PEOPLE,
28 June 2026
After seven years of dating and the birth of their eldest child, Andrea married the billionaire heiress in a private civil ceremony in Monaco in August 2013.
—
Staff Author,
InStyle,
23 June 2026
Macleod and his colleagues sequenced the DNA of the plague victims, piecing together how they were related and (through radiocarbon dating) when each member of the family died.
—
ArsTechnica,
18 June 2026
Groucutt notes a significant issue in paleoethology relates to the dating of sites, as the techniques used can yield vastly different results.
—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
14 June 2026
There are some lingering elements of conservatism in eharmony, particularly its questions about faith and politics, but at least the app allows same-sex dating.
—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
Crow and her colleagues used radiometric dating and chemical analysis on NWA 12593 to successfully identify evidence of three major impact events in the moon’s past.
—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
10 June 2026
Dostal said radiocarbon dating of the wooden stoppers placed them roughly in the late 1700s.
—
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Verb
That ended Woo’s streak of home shutout innings at 32 1/3, which stretched over a span of five games dating to May 6 against Atlanta.
—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
Keyser was on the show for four episodes before she was removed from the Peacock dating show.
—
Kimi Robinson,
USA Today,
1 July 2026
After almost a decade of dating, Cristiano Ronaldo put a ring on it.
—
Freya Drohan,
InStyle,
30 June 2026
Working with the British Antarctic Survey, Thomson was mapping the area's rock layers and collected marine reptile fossils to help with future dating efforts.
—
CBS News,
30 June 2026
For a dip into some Western romance, Elsie Silver’s latest is about a bull rider, Emmett, who attempts to save his family farm by landing himself on a reality dating show.
—
Nissa Renzo,
PEOPLE,
30 June 2026
On Friday, Peacock announced the 21-year-old had been fired from the popular reality dating show.
—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
30 June 2026
Yes, Wilkins has been a country-music artist for some years now, with releases dating back to 2015 on her Instagram that featured, spoiler alert, American-flag cover art.
—
Marissa R. Moss,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2026
The Juszczyks became friendly with Swift after Kelce started dating her in 2023 — enough that Kristin enjoyed a career-defining moment as an aspiring fashion designer, courtesy of the Grammy winner.
—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
24 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dating
Noun
-
The love story is one now cemented in the history books of pop culture and romance.
-
Did the woman who has spent a career immersed in romance with all of its joys and sorrows really exchange vows in what's essentially her workplace?
Verb
-
The idea was to reflect girlhood through different periods of American history, showing the changes and similarities in books and their accompanying dolls and historically accurate outfits.
-
The oversized Route 66 sign accompanying the treat is perfect for a selfie background, and the statue is located next to the Rich & Creamy Ice Cream Shop.
Verb
-
But now the scenic country is courting foreign investors to help revive its struggling economy.
-
Alex Hoffman, a Democratic donor adviser, told ABC News that Democrats need to continue courting high net worth donors, even as many in the party continue to speak out against the influence of billionaires in politics.
Noun
-
Through it all, the growth of dating apps has changed how courtship is practiced.
-
According to the heteronormative version of bluegill courtship, mating season begins when males start building nests—basically, bowl-like depressions in the lake bed.
Verb
-
The indictment alleges that the defendants — Harman Pahal, 21, Cameron Chouanmasay, 20, Colton Malone, 21, Julian Calderon, 20, and Jaskarn Batth, 20 — met while attending Bullard High School in Fresno.
-
Most cases involved people attending their first hearing in their immigration case.
Cite this Entry
“Dating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dating. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
