1
as in teases
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 flits
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 flirts
Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 14 May 2026
One flirts and drinks and dallies and dances; the other is part child, part monk, his mantel packed with icons and crucifixes, his inner landscape a kind of mental Sagrada Família — a weird and extraordinary edifice constructed around the rigors and promises of Christianity.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
As crude flirts with prices of $100 a barrel or more on the back of the war in Iran, could the US oil sector ride to the rescue of consumers?
—David Wethe, Bloomberg, 13 Mar. 2026
In the visual, Faith is in a bar singing about and to her love interest, as Thornton performs onstage, flirts, and drinks his way through the night.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 7 May 2026
Surrounded by honeymooners, June tries (and flirts) to reclaim her joie de vivre, while Lela is deep in the dark.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 6 May 2026
At a lawn party devoted to the game of cornhole, Clark flirts with Floyd’s wife and the two soon begin an affair, meeting for afternoon assignations at the local Quality Garden Suites.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026
There is a genre-bending western; two stories blend speculative details with realism to portray women planning their escapes; three stories spec-ify the only-daughter experience; and one story flirts with where to begin.
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
Throughout the episode, Rue also flirts with leaning full-on into religion.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
While waiting for flights to resume, Charli’s character Bethany flirts with the idea of blowing up her life by rekindling a romance with an old friend who owns a flower shop in Warsaw.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2026
Delivered with an ease that flirts with comedy, it can be taken as humor punctuating drama.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
Opening with a melancholic harmonica that flirts with a country twang, the track feels unfiltered as Eric Aragón (real name) sings of regret and the sting of love gone wrong.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 16 Jan. 2026
Noun
The hole’s narrow fairway flirts with disaster on both sides – water and super high rough.
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 14 May 2026
One flirts and drinks and dallies and dances; the other is part child, part monk, his mantel packed with icons and crucifixes, his inner landscape a kind of mental Sagrada Família — a weird and extraordinary edifice constructed around the rigors and promises of Christianity.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
As crude flirts with prices of $100 a barrel or more on the back of the war in Iran, could the US oil sector ride to the rescue of consumers?
—David Wethe, Bloomberg, 13 Mar. 2026
In the visual, Faith is in a bar singing about and to her love interest, as Thornton performs onstage, flirts, and drinks his way through the night.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
From time to time the thermometer flirts with 70.
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 7 May 2026
Surrounded by honeymooners, June tries (and flirts) to reclaim her joie de vivre, while Lela is deep in the dark.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 6 May 2026
At a lawn party devoted to the game of cornhole, Clark flirts with Floyd’s wife and the two soon begin an affair, meeting for afternoon assignations at the local Quality Garden Suites.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026
There is a genre-bending western; two stories blend speculative details with realism to portray women planning their escapes; three stories spec-ify the only-daughter experience; and one story flirts with where to begin.
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
Throughout the episode, Rue also flirts with leaning full-on into religion.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
While waiting for flights to resume, Charli’s character Bethany flirts with the idea of blowing up her life by rekindling a romance with an old friend who owns a flower shop in Warsaw.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2026
Delivered with an ease that flirts with comedy, it can be taken as humor punctuating drama.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
Opening with a melancholic harmonica that flirts with a country twang, the track feels unfiltered as Eric Aragón (real name) sings of regret and the sting of love gone wrong.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flirts
Verb
-
Season one teases the turmoil ahead, after Dean finds out that Allie has slept with his very own (heated) rival, Hunter (Charlie Evans).—
Kenneal Patterson,
Vanity Fair,
29 May 2026
-
The preview also teases the roles of the supporting cast.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Their father, Nahuel (Amién), flits from one romantic affair to another, failing to recognize his shortcomings the way fathers typically forget minor yet significant details, like mistaking his younger daughter’s shoe size or never delivering on his promise to have the sink fixed.—
Lé Baltar,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
-
Over sunny instrumentation, Rhys flits back and forth between English and Welsh in what feels like a nonsensical miasma of free association.—
David Harris,
SPIN,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Here, Matcha Milk toys the line between sweet and earthy, blending macadamia milk and vanilla with black tea and matcha accord.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Iran’s flag before the 1979 revolution — green, white and red with a lion and a rising sun — flutters from many overhangs.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel (center) flutters a Venezuelan and Cuban national flags in support of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in Havana.—
Kiki Intarasuwan,
CBS News,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Runway, Pika, and a dozen others can produce footage that fools the eye on first watch.—
Sandy Carter,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
What fools these non-OpenAI mortals must be.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Club Kid runs right up to and then darts around so many potential cliches in a way that’s really satisfying.—
Rachel Handler,
Vulture,
26 May 2026
-
The striker is initially in a central area but then darts to the right side.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Tolly Sherry dances with her son Brad at his wedding.—
Wakisha Bailey,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
-
The food dances seamlessly between Asian flavors, pulling inspiration from Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and more, and local ingredients from the Gulf South.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Monroe flicks the mic and begins.—
Mic Anderson Britannica Editors May 18,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
18 May 2026
-
While Dad is developing photos in his darkroom, Jeremy flicks on the lights.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flirts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flirts. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
