dalliance

noun

dal·​li·​ance ˈda-lē-ən(t)s 

: an act of dallying: such as

a

: play

especially : amorous play

had dalliances with several women before getting married

b

: frivolous action : trifling

had a brief dalliance with acting

Synonyms

• frolic
• frolicking
• fun
• fun and games
• play
• recreation
• relaxation
• rollicking
• sport

Examples of dalliance in a Sentence

an extremely serious scientist who is not much given to dalliance or idle chitchat

Recent Examples on the Web

Other than a brief dalliance with what were then called SuperTarget stores in the early 2000s, the brand didn’t make a serious push into traditional retailing until 2022, and its products are now stocked alongside more modern-looking and frequently less expensive competitors at Target and Macy’s. —Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2024

Whether the romantic dalliance is merely a brief flirtation is besides the point–Dua and Callum are both, quite literally, dining out on the publicity. —Alice Newbold, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2024

The notes list said love interest’s name and the duration of time the relationship (or dalliance) will last. —Rachel Seo, Variety, 16 Mar. 2024

Even with these dalliances, socially monogamous pairs share deep, lasting connections, explains Karen Bales, who researches social bonding among animals at the University of California, Davis. —Devin Farmiloe, Scientific American, 14 Feb. 2024

Was Diana merely enjoying a dalliance after her divorce from Prince Charles? —Clark Collis, EW.com, 21 Nov. 2023

The hearing, with testimony about cash stashes in homes, romantic dalliances and vacations to exotic locales, lent a soap opera feel to one of the most politically consequential prosecutions ever initiated by a county district attorney. —Kate Brumback, arkansasonline.com, 17 Feb. 2024

Corralling all the debutante balls, starter marriages, and hush-hush dalliances of Capote’s inner circle demanded significant research—the bibliography of Capote’s Women is extensive—but the context only made Capote’s deception juicier. —Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Jan. 2024

But as China started looking to America for commerce and investment, its dalliance with the Islamic Republic waned. —Christian Schneider, National Review, 21 Dec. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

dalliance

noun

dal·​li·​ance ˈdal-ē-ən(t)s 

1

: play entry 1 sense 2

especially : the act of flirting

2

: action lacking in importance or seriousness

a short dalliance with politics