flirt 1 of 2

as in wanton
a person who playfully shows another amorous attention he's just a harmless flirt, so don't take him seriously

Synonyms & Similar Words

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flirt

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to tease
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun the servers at that restaurant flirt with all the customers

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in to flit
to make an irregular series of quick, sudden movements lazily watched the butterflies flirting among the wildflowers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb flirt differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of flirt are coquet, dally, toy, and trifle. While all these words mean "to deal with or act toward without serious purpose," flirt implies an interest or attention that soon passes to another object.

flirted with one fashionable ism after another

When is coquet a more appropriate choice than flirt?

In some situations, the words coquet and flirt are roughly equivalent. However, coquet implies attracting interest or admiration without serious intention.

companies that coquet with environmentalism solely for public relations

When could dally be used to replace flirt?

The synonyms dally and flirt are sometimes interchangeable, but dally suggests indulging in thoughts or plans merely as an amusement.

dallying with the idea of building a boat someday

When might toy be a better fit than flirt?

Although the words toy and flirt have much in common, toy implies acting without full attention or serious exertion of one's powers.

a political novice toying with great issues

In what contexts can trifle take the place of flirt?

The meanings of trifle and flirt largely overlap; however, trifle may imply playfulness, unconcern, indulgent contempt.

to trifle with a lover's feelings

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 flirt
Noun
As gold flirts with all-time highs again, headlines are quick to shout what many family offices already know: when the world trembles, gold glitters. Francois Botha, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025 In the middle of all this, Alexa and Lino remain pretty steadfast in their commitment to each other (except when Lino occasionally gets the urge to cheat and flirts with Alex, who turns him down every time). Charlotte Walsh, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2025
Verb
Their giggly interaction last week as Theo pushed her toward making friends with Hector and their flirting here definitely points to something brewing between these two. Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 25 June 2025 After tumbling into correction in March and flirting with a bear market in April, the index recouped its losses in May and June and is up more than 3.5% year-to-date. John Towfighi, CNN Money, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for flirt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flirt
Noun
  • There are tons of wanton claims about new potential prompting techniques and few that withstand the intense scrutiny of heads-down truth-seeking research.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
  • Through its current wanton brutality, the Tatmadaw has awakened the majority Bamar ethnic group to the violence and the injustices inflicted on Myanmar’s minority ethnic groups for decades.
    Derek J. Mitchell, Foreign Affairs, 15 Apr. 2021
Verb
  • Affectionately, the 35-year-old pop star is not known for setting or chasing trends, instead using fashion to tease new musical eras or evoke a sense of girl-next-door relatability.
    Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 29 June 2025
  • The historic broadcast network began teasing the multiple Emmy winner’s birthday as early as June 13.
    Ronda Racha Penrice, HollywoodReporter, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • Following the Tony Awards, many attendees flitted off to cast celebrations and the official MoMA party before landing at the annual event at the Carlyle, hosted by Rick Miramontez and John Gore.
    Emily Burns, Footwear News, 9 June 2025
  • The episode flits back and forth between tour preparation, performances and home footage from Cooper’s childhood.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 June 2025
Verb
  • In-ho, clearly taking no pleasure in the sight in the wake of recent events, darted his eyes downward and rolled back up his window, before his driver moved on….
    Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 27 June 2025
  • His eyes dart over to a curtained section of the wall.
    Rachel Raposas, People.com, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • Even though baby clothes and newborn diapers feel too tiny to wreak havoc, don’t be fooled!
    Briana Feigon, Architectural Digest, 19 June 2025
  • Perhaps that’s what fans were griping about last year — that Burns didn’t have it anymore and Slavin was papering over all those issues, enough to fool this model.
    Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • The card features drawings of flying birds, floating feathers, shooting stars, fluttering butterflies and rowing gondoliers.
    Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 24 June 2025
  • Outside of quintessential Southern porch staples, nature adds an idyllic experience to the outdoors, especially the presence of hummingbirds with their gracefully fluttering wings and gentle humming sound.
    Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 13 June 2025
Verb
  • Dacus had been toying around with the ideas behind the song for a while: the beautiful minutiae of sharing a life with someone, and betting on love in the face of inevitable change.
    James Factora, Them, 24 Mar. 2025
  • Crystal Palace After toying in the past with the idea of returning to the club’s original home a couple of miles across south London in Crystal Palace Park, plans to redevelop Selhurst Park (an idea first floated by then chairman Ron Noades in the 1990s) were announced in 2017.
    Tom Burrows, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Lorde accompanied the former with a video of herself alone throughout New York before meeting up with fans and dancing in the center of Washington Square Park.
    Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2025
  • Even the most obsessive dancing queen will find fresh storytelling and breadth in these pages.
    EW Staff Published, EW.com, 20 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Flirt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flirt. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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