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
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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
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Recent Examples of flirting
When Missouri joined a nationwide redistricting frenzy last year, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas immediately began flirting with a run for Congress.
—
Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
After some light flirting with João in the crew mess, the chief stew is ready to welcome the guests.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
The share price is also flirting with the 200dma.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 23 Mar. 2026
From one-quarter to one-third of the 48 continental states will be flirting with records for March, Gallina said.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
Gadiaga plays bass throughout BabyGoated—most prominently on the title track’s deep groove, an insistent bassline flirting with Afrobeat—but her honey-sweet voice is the star here.
—Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 19 Mar. 2026
Swimming and flirting with boys in a river stream after school.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
The Kings are currently flirting with ending the season with the fourth-worst record or lower.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 15 Mar. 2026
All three defeats were of the Q1 variety, but the Tigers are now flirting with the danger zone.
—Jim Root, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
After some light flirting with João in the crew mess, the chief stew is ready to welcome the guests.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
The share price is also flirting with the 200dma.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 23 Mar. 2026
From one-quarter to one-third of the 48 continental states will be flirting with records for March, Gallina said.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
Gadiaga plays bass throughout BabyGoated—most prominently on the title track’s deep groove, an insistent bassline flirting with Afrobeat—but her honey-sweet voice is the star here.
—Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 19 Mar. 2026
Swimming and flirting with boys in a river stream after school.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
The Kings are currently flirting with ending the season with the fourth-worst record or lower.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 15 Mar. 2026
All three defeats were of the Q1 variety, but the Tigers are now flirting with the danger zone.
—Jim Root, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flirting
Verb
-
Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks have been back on speaking terms for a few months thanks to the rerelease of their debut album, Buckingham Nicks, and now the diva himself is teasing that 2026 could serve as a reunion of sorts for the famously estranged exes.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
27 Mar. 2026
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There was no indication of the context of the posts, which racked up millions of views, with many online commenters theorizing the accounts could have been hacked or that an official was cryptically teasing something.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There was the usual assemblage of male and female Anna’s and just a couple of the Allen’s darting out occasionally from the sanctuary of the nearby tree to drink nectar from the hanging feeders.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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This time, my eyes slid to the fresh silver polish on her fingernails, her cascading perm thick but without any undergrowth, and those eyes darting from me to the cop, glistening as if on the verge of pouring.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Spring's warmth is settling in across southern Michigan, and hummingbirds will soon be flitting about the state.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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Jacir wants to show a cross section of people’s responses to these events, but the result often feels like scattershot scenes from a longer miniseries, flitting from one character to another with little narrative thrust or cohesion.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
October marks the start of butterfly season, with vibrant swarms fluttering well into the green season.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The sudden movement sends the birds fluttering away from you, to watch and wait.—
Addie Citchens,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 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
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From there, a user named Vega turned it into a TikTok dance video that exploded — people duplicating themselves on screen, one version performing, the other dancing behind them.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
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One scene shows the comedian, dressed in a white suit, dancing on a stage in front of a crowd as sparklers go off.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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DeVos wasn’t kidding, and on Monday, in front of close friends and family, current and former Magic executives and employees and local community leaders, a plaque was unveiled with Martins’ name on it at the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame that’s located in Kia Center on the terrace level.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
-
McKneely wasn’t kidding about the staples being removed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flirting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flirting. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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