flirting

present participle of flirt

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 After nearly half a century of flirting with direct conflict, the United States finally went to war with Iran. Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 18 June 2026 Maybe someone is complimenting (or flirting with you) publicly, but controlling you behind the scenes. Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 17 June 2026 Miami has already been flirting with record heat. Nic Merianos, CBS News, 17 June 2026 In a crew filled with people convinced of the superiority of their own methods, Cooper just wants to look at peacocks, call his grandma, and engage in some PG-13 flirting with fellow innocent oddball Kat. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 16 June 2026 Despite a record-flirting sack season and excellent production against the run in 2025, the Broncos tied for the second-fewest fumbles recovered of any NFL defense last year. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 9 June 2026 Smith has spent more than a year openly flirting with a potential 2028 presidential run. Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026 His penchant for flirting and hooking up with, well, just about everyone, flared tensions — particularly with Nathan. Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 2026 Pawol was flirting with potential history early in Friday's game. ABC News, 5 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flirting
Verb
  • The pop singer has been teasing her return to music over the past few weeks with cryptic posts on social media featuring various images accompanied locations, dates and times.
    Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 22 June 2026
  • Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, took over as chief executive of Relativity a little more than a year ago, teasing new areas of focus such as orbital data centers, philanthropic space science ventures, and national security missions.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • Sweden’s Hien had no idea how to stop Brobbey’s darting runs when looking to connect with crosses from out wide and the striker routinely bullies bigger boys before either scoring or creating for others.
    Carl Anka, New York Times, 20 June 2026
  • The Griz constantly pumps the rod to get his bait darting forward and then dropping back.
    Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 18 June 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
  • Within moments, someone pointed out a starling flitting across the hazy sky.
    Evgenia Anastasakos, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026
  • The stairs bear witness to feet, flitting up and down, a whispering flood of life that has carried us forth to this day.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • Speaking on Harvard Business School’s The Founder Mindset podcast, hosted by senior lecturer and serial entrepreneur Reza Satchu, the Shark Tank investor argued that anyone trying to balance a young company against the rest of their life is fooling themselves.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 17 June 2026
  • The other is fooling humans, particularly the dwindling number of journalists, critics, and other gatekeepers who are still capable of conferring legitimacy by paying attention.
    Lane Brown, Vulture, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • In Second Nature, scientists theorize that Darwin couldn’t help but impose his own heterosexual ideations on animal reproduction, mainly that animals only copulate for the purposes of reproduction, with males being the aggressors and females fluttering their eyelids behind lace fans, or something.
    Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2026
  • Twice during the game at the Lincoln Financial Field, the Brazil fans unfurled a fluttering banner celebrating five icons of five World Cup-winning teams; Didi, Garrincha, Pele, Romario and Ronaldo.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 20 June 2026
Verb
  • Just kidding, but seeing Angela’s team sweep Shamea’s at the Bailey Bowl basketball tournament was almost as satisfying as knowing Charles got to witness his former team’s historic win in person.
    Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 22 June 2026
  • Room was kidding, but someone inside Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday night had the power to make that happen.
    Pete Grathoff June 21, Kansas City Star, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • The pre-match party was packed with hundreds of people at the Discovery Center with Caribbean music, Haitian food and plenty of dancing.
    Dan Snyder, CBS News, 19 June 2026
  • Season 5 opens with Roddy dancing through London.
    K.J. Yossman, Variety, 19 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

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

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