as in lovers
literary
a person with whom someone is having a romantic or sexual relationship and especially a secret or improper relationship
Her husband found a love letter from her paramour.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paramours
As the media narrative went, a 27-year-old gay serial killer named Andrew Cunanan had murdered five wealthy gay paramours, the last of whom was the fashion designer Gianni Versace.
—
Adam Turner, Vanity Fair, 1 June 2026
Clark and Floyd had initially bonded over the show’s namesake app, a means for married people to meet discreet new partners; Floyd, too, had met up with potential paramours like Modern Love (Peter Sarsgaard), the online pseudonym of a local roller rink owner.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026
During the course of the film, Grace deals with life, love (including a pair of paramours from the same band), professional disappointments, and the fallout of a horrible experience from her past.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Mar. 2026
Other unconfirmed paramours include A$AP Rocky, multiple NBA players, and, most recently, Bad Bunny.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
The record is filled with sexy dance-pop bangers and finds Khalid — for the first time in his career — using he/him pronouns when discussing paramours in his lyrics.
—Jeff Nelson, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
Once again, the Western canon’s most famous paramours have traded soliloquies for pointe shoes.
—Lily Janiak, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 Apr. 2023
Adam Turner, Vanity Fair, 1 June 2026
Clark and Floyd had initially bonded over the show’s namesake app, a means for married people to meet discreet new partners; Floyd, too, had met up with potential paramours like Modern Love (Peter Sarsgaard), the online pseudonym of a local roller rink owner.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026
During the course of the film, Grace deals with life, love (including a pair of paramours from the same band), professional disappointments, and the fallout of a horrible experience from her past.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Mar. 2026
Other unconfirmed paramours include A$AP Rocky, multiple NBA players, and, most recently, Bad Bunny.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
The record is filled with sexy dance-pop bangers and finds Khalid — for the first time in his career — using he/him pronouns when discussing paramours in his lyrics.
—Jeff Nelson, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
Once again, the Western canon’s most famous paramours have traded soliloquies for pointe shoes.
—Lily Janiak, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paramours
Noun
-
At the end of season two, Lestat and Louis have reunited as lovers.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
7 June 2026
-
For nature lovers, surfers, divers and fishermen, the setting offers both seclusion and connection.—
Spencer Elliott,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Husbands and boyfriends have been booking birthday celebrations and surprise date nights for their ladies.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
-
The black widow is not only the namesake of an Avenger, but used as a term for female serial killers that take out their husbands and boyfriends, as black widow spiders sometimes eat their male partners.—
Eva Flowe
May 28,
Charlotte Observer,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The few girlfriends of hers who did reach out to check on him stood out.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
28 May 2026
-
The Victoria's Secret model was photographed enjoying the warmer weather with her friends while taking a dip in the pool on board, posing for photos with her girlfriends and getting a tan.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
Four of them had 20, one had 21, but that one who had 21 had them between two husbands.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
6 June 2026
-
Ali and Shannon open up to PEOPLE about the rules, or, in Ali's case, lack thereof, that help keep them close to their husbands during the season.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
At house parties, for instance, Nilsson would find the wives clustered in the kitchen while the men talked shop in another room.—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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The wives and girlfriends of the Golden Knights aren't just skating along with their partners.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paramours.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paramours. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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