dating 1 of 2

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

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dating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of date
1
as in accompanying
to go on a social engagement with I don't want to date him—I'd rather just be friends

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2
as in courting
to go on dates that may eventually lead to marriage we dated for two years before we got engaged

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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
Noun
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 However, The Kardashians star and the global sports phenomenon sparked significant dating buzz back in 2012, even prompting ESPN reporter Rachel Nichols to ask Lin about a potential romantic connection point-blank. Lara Walsh, InStyle, 10 June 2026 Dostal said radiocarbon dating of the wooden stoppers placed them roughly in the late 1700s. CBS News, 4 June 2026 Franklyn and Cooper cofounded their podcast Call Her Daddy in 2018, which quickly became an internet sensation for its honest and humorous conversations about female sexuality and dating. Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026 And that means modern dating is taking a hit. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 30 May 2026
Verb
Meanwhile, Haack — who also shares 6-year-old son Hudson with her second ex-husband Ant Anstead — has been dating Larocca since the fall of 2024. Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026 Swanson had a sacrifice fly and Crow-Armstrong launched his 17th home run to right-center, extending his career-best on-base streak to 24 games dating to May 26. Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 24 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 Teams in those places have won the Stanley Cup the past seven years in a row and 13 times dating to Colorado’s championship run in 1995-96. Stephen Whyno, Fortune, 24 June 2026 Still, state environmental officials and weather experts say the rainfall deficits dating back to last fall have not been completely erased. Drew Kann, AJC.com, 24 June 2026 LeBron and Savannah James first began dating in high school. Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2026 Real quick Rex Heuermann was sentenced to multiple life sentences in prison for the murders of eight women dating back to 1993 whose remains were found at Gilgo Beach on Long Island. Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dating
Noun
  • Sheer black outfits that looked pulled from the pages of a gothic romance novel were draped on bodies.
    Precious Fondren, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
  • The Dutton side of Dutton Ranch is mostly represented by Carter, whose quasi-romance with Oreana Jackson bogged down last week’s episode, and who this week is an absolute mess.
    Noel Murray, Vulture, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • Still, the accompanying 4,300-acre ski resort offers eco-adventures year-round, from river rafting and mountain biking to snowshoeing and ziplining.
    Sierra Vandervort, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2026
  • There is a much lower chance for accompanying thunder.
    David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • Iván Cepeda aimed to mobilize Petro’s existing following rather than courting voters beyond it.
    Ines Capdevila, CNN Money, 21 June 2026
  • Once one of the kingdom’s more conservative areas, Aseer is now courting domestic crowds and foreign tourists alike.
    Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • Yes, their courtship was singular, sweeping and at times volatile, but I was mostly struck by the acute disconnect between the way they were posthumously characterized by friends and family and the often misogynistic, reductive narrative that surrounded them at the time.
    Connor Hines, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
  • Dating, courtship, fun, hobbies, creativity, sports and games will all be on the top of your mind.
    Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • People attending the trial would also be prohibited from reacting, gesturing, wearing distracting clothing, or otherwise disrupting proceedings.
    Matthew Davisson, CBS News, 19 June 2026
  • The royal, who was seen repeatedly blinking before jolting awake, was attending the annual ANZAC Day service at London's Westminster Abbey, which is held to commemorate Commonwealth soldiers from Australia, New Zealand and Canada who served and died in wars and peacekeeping operations.
    Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 19 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dating. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.

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