as in flirtatiousness
the attitude or behavior of one who insincerely courts the amorous attentions of others
somehow got the bizarre notion that flirtation was appropriate during a job interview
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Recent Examples of flirtation
New encounters could lead to fun flirtations or a mutual attraction that becomes romantic.
—
Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 22 Feb. 2026
The stakes are not equal; her dream of a future could be a meaningless flirtation to him.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 16 Feb. 2026
Tragedies befall teens all the time, and in this case, the focus is on moving forward, as represented by Minnie’s tentative flirtation with a girl named Kat (Iman Vellani).
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
In her scenes with each of them, Hedda’s motivations feel murky as she ping-pongs between flirtation, disgust, fear and anger.
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Rio Tinto and Glencore had held only preliminary discussions about price when they were forced to disclose their flirtation in early January, a person familiar with the matter said.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Twyla Tharp’s ballet Push Comes to Shove, which premiered in 1976, startled and delighted audiences with its coy, self-referential humor, and its flirtation with popular dance styles such as jazz and tango.
—Sara Krolewski, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
On the contrary, a passion project, flirtation or moment of joy reconnects you to your sense of purpose.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
Later came fashion’s brief flirtation with Web3 and the metaverse, from 2019 to 2023, a period that saw an explosion of collaborations between luxury brands and tech companies, blurring the parameters between physical and digital fashion.
—Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2026
Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 22 Feb. 2026
The stakes are not equal; her dream of a future could be a meaningless flirtation to him.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 16 Feb. 2026
Tragedies befall teens all the time, and in this case, the focus is on moving forward, as represented by Minnie’s tentative flirtation with a girl named Kat (Iman Vellani).
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
In her scenes with each of them, Hedda’s motivations feel murky as she ping-pongs between flirtation, disgust, fear and anger.
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Rio Tinto and Glencore had held only preliminary discussions about price when they were forced to disclose their flirtation in early January, a person familiar with the matter said.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Twyla Tharp’s ballet Push Comes to Shove, which premiered in 1976, startled and delighted audiences with its coy, self-referential humor, and its flirtation with popular dance styles such as jazz and tango.
—Sara Krolewski, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
On the contrary, a passion project, flirtation or moment of joy reconnects you to your sense of purpose.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
Later came fashion’s brief flirtation with Web3 and the metaverse, from 2019 to 2023, a period that saw an explosion of collaborations between luxury brands and tech companies, blurring the parameters between physical and digital fashion.
—Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flirtation
Noun
-
Evocative animation, with subdued blue hues and soft lighting, conveys the flirtatiousness of their rapid connection in a scene where the two swim together in a pool at night.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The three-inch heels that the women wear when performing the dance are visible at the bottom of the skirt—a demure bit of coquetry.—
Fernanda Pérez Sánchez,
Vogue,
8 Aug. 2022
-
In other words, the most dizzying and most consequential storyline of Michigan’s offseason — Harbaugh’s coquetry with the Minnesota Vikings notwithstanding — is going to linger a while longer.—
Michael Cohen,
Detroit Free Press,
27 July 2022
Noun
-
There is her coyness about her future plans, and her own recent memoir.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The Hunting Wives strips away any coyness about sexuality in the first three minutes of episode one.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Upstairs is a tatami mat tea ceremony space wrapped in decorative steel screens where, in a play of light and shadows, a lady in a dusty pink kimono whisks matcha.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Campbell praised Suárez for her recent play and tenacity on the court.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flirtation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flirtation. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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