1
as in teasing
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun
the servers at that restaurant flirt with all the customers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in darting
to make an irregular series of quick, sudden movements
lazily watched the butterflies flirting among the wildflowers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 flirting
Mikey never ended up doing anything beyond flirting, but his unfortunate turn of phrase was all Sydney needed to begin exploring her options in the villa.
—
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026
This could look like flirting with someone unexpectedly, diving into a passion project or deciding you’re done hiding in plain sight.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Oil, after notching double-digit declines, is again flirting with $100 a barrel.
—Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2026
Even Lala, who proved her worth this episode by flirting with her very hot and shockingly age-appropriate lifeguard while at her daughter’s party.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2026
With both the police and Nancy’s friends believing her lover to be responsible for her murder, David’s identity is seemingly revealed in Episode 4 when a bartender with the same name begins flirting with Nancy at a New Year’s Day party at her Pasadena mansion.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026
Saturday looks like the peak, with some eastern neighborhoods potentially flirting with 80 before the sea breeze starts pushing back in late.
—Greg Porter, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
At the same time, flirting with fragmented opposition figures who lack organization inside Iran is not a serious policy.
—Kazem Kazerounian, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2026
The june bug lands on the floor after flirting a while with the dining room lamp.
—María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026
This could look like flirting with someone unexpectedly, diving into a passion project or deciding you’re done hiding in plain sight.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Oil, after notching double-digit declines, is again flirting with $100 a barrel.
—Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2026
Even Lala, who proved her worth this episode by flirting with her very hot and shockingly age-appropriate lifeguard while at her daughter’s party.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2026
With both the police and Nancy’s friends believing her lover to be responsible for her murder, David’s identity is seemingly revealed in Episode 4 when a bartender with the same name begins flirting with Nancy at a New Year’s Day party at her Pasadena mansion.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026
Saturday looks like the peak, with some eastern neighborhoods potentially flirting with 80 before the sea breeze starts pushing back in late.
—Greg Porter, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
At the same time, flirting with fragmented opposition figures who lack organization inside Iran is not a serious policy.
—Kazem Kazerounian, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2026
The june bug lands on the floor after flirting a while with the dining room lamp.
—María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flirting
Verb
-
Since then, Earle has been teasing her response to Cooper online.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Downey said, teasing the crowd that gave him a standing ovation during his entrance.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
From corners, Bromley pack the six-yard box, with multiple players darting towards its centre.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The hungry sharks surrounded Barley in the clips, leaping out of the water and quickly darting around his Sea-Doo.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The age-gap romance is one that Statsky said the writers have been toying around with for quite some time.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The bill is the result of six years of studying and toying around the edges of PBM issues.—
Kayla Dwyer,
IndyStar,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
This commentary was not from a wonkish TikToker nor a network pundit but from TMZ, the merciless purveyor of celebrity dirt, which published the images of Graham after a citizen vacationer noticed the senator flitting through the theme park and sent pictures.—
Paula Mejía,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, and Chace Crawford catapulted to fame playing the scheming social butterflies flitting around Gossip Girl's Upper East Side.—
Rachel DeSantis,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Kick your legs in small up-and-down fluttering motions while keeping your lower back flat and abs tight throughout.—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Video from the scene hours after the fire first erupted showed ash fluttering through the air and burned paper in the yards of homes across the street from the warehouse.—
Joy Benedict,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But Baio says Kassotis has been fooling people for years.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Indeed, depth would only get in the way of the plot, which is primarily concerned with fooling you and fooling you again.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Suddenly Bieber was dancing around, trading fun glances with his fellow-artists, finally gesturing toward the usually obvious fact that a concert might also be an uncomplicatedly good time.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Set the scene Arrive by car and enter the hotel’s main driveway to then be greeted by the resort’s grand Florentine Fountain with four sculpted water nymphs dancing around an octagonal pool, a visual amuse bouche to the opulence that awaits.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Just kidding, but that would’ve been awesome.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The interviewer said that Phillips, 65, was not kidding.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flirting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flirting. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
