dating 1 of 2

Definition of datingnext
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
Krystal Wilkinson, a British human resource management professor, has written about finding that children and child care are considered far more legitimate reasons for placing boundaries on work than engaging in hobbies, fitness or dating. Peter McGraw, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2026 While Mi-rae chooses to devote most of her free time to real-life dating, two characters end the series as Boyfriend on Demand subscribers. Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Mar. 2026 Similar to the radiocarbon dating of fossils, the level of metabolic deterioration in moss can reveal to botanists when the plant was harvested or moved. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 5 Mar. 2026 Affordable dating in Austin isn’t about cutting corners. Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 28 Feb. 2026 The event is a spin-off of our popular dating and romance column of the same name. Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026 Looking to the more recent past, 2002’s Water Horse marked the very early years of online dating, and all the stigma that came with it. Annabel Gat, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2026 The show is good at making the off-and-on vicissitudes of modern dating feel natural to the plot. Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026 Over the last decade or so, Avgitidis said she's seen people burned out by online dating and seeking things a profile alone can't reveal. Lauren Fichten, CBS News, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
Police believe Ajiri used dating apps and social media to contact women and convince them to send intimate photos and videos for money, according to the release. Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026 Feimster plays a caddie; Wilson a rival golfer; Parnell a PGA Tour official; Tarver the influencer fiancée of Tatro’s Lance; and Hornsby a wealthy man who’s now dating Stacy. Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026 The 27-year-old Dončić and Goltes had been dating for a decade after meeting as teenagers in Slovenia. Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 11 Mar. 2026 That same interview revealed Dean has stepped away from dating apps entirely. Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2026 On Jessica Cruickshank’s Phone a Friend podcast, Xav discussed both the lyrics and his reaction to learning that his father was dating Katy Perry. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 10 Mar. 2026 Cher has been dating Alexander Edwards since 2022. Christina Perrier, InStyle, 10 Mar. 2026 Rachel Recchia doesn't want to see Bryan Abasolo on the dating apps. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026 Sex and the City — Set in ’90s to 2000s Manhattan, the show centers on Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda navigating dating and fashion. Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dating
Noun
  • Meanwhile, at Spelman, Vernice swiftly dives into a romance with her roommate, Joette, even as she gets set up with a wealthy alumna’s son, a lawyer eager to get married.
    Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Given Young’s music centers around modern, misfiring romance, the statement was unexpected.
    Ramon Ramirez, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The security guard had snapped a photo of the toddler and the woman accompanying her.
    Sydney Page The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Little emphasized the need to ease property taxes in a letter accompanying his signature but criticized Moyle’s approach as rushed and overly complex.
    Mark Dee March 6, Idaho Statesman, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • While the Olsens have stayed out of the public eye in recent years, Sweetin and Bure's relationship has often made headlines thanks to the Great American Family channel star frequently courting controversy with her anti-LGBTQ+ stances.
    Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Mar. 2026
  • Qatar, after being put on the global map by Al Jazeera and the 2022 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, is now turning to film and TV and courting Hollywood.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 3 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • After being hounded by paparazzi for their entire courtship, the duo managed to pull off a secret wedding, away from prying eyes, on a secluded island in Georgia.
    Claudia Williams, Architectural Digest, 5 Mar. 2026
  • The widening war in Iran is a reminder that the Gulf, for all its modernization and courtship of the global high-finance set, remains a volatile place.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • But even when attending the opera in person was prohibitively expensive for a poorer and much larger working class, mass audiences still consumed high culture from afar.
    Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
  • The controversy has carried into the offseason, apparently prompting at least one prominent UNC football alumnus to forgo attending games in person when the 2026 season begins this fall.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 13 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dating. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

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