flirt

1 of 2

verb

ˈflərt How to pronounce flirt (audio)
flirted; flirting; flirts
Synonyms of flirtnext

intransitive verb

1
: to move erratically : flit
butterflies flirting among the flowers
2
a
: to behave amorously without serious intent
He flirts with every attractive woman he meets.
b
: to show superficial or casual interest or liking
flirted with the idea
also : experiment
a novelist flirting with poetry
3
: to come close to reaching or experiencing something
—used with with
flirting with disaster

transitive verb

1
: flick
They flirt water at each other's faces.
2
: to move in a jerky manner
a bird flirting its tail
flirtation
ˌflər-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce flirt (audio)
noun
flirter noun
flirty
ˈflər-tē How to pronounce flirt (audio)
adjective

flirt

2 of 2

noun

1
: an act or instance of flirting
2
: a person who flirts

Synonyms

Verb

Noun

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for flirt

trifle, toy, dally, flirt, coquet mean to deal with or act toward without serious purpose.

trifle may imply playfulness, unconcern, indulgent contempt.

to trifle with a lover's feelings

toy implies acting without full attention or serious exertion of one's powers.

a political novice toying with great issues

dally suggests indulging in thoughts or plans merely as an amusement.

dallying with the idea of building a boat someday

flirt implies an interest or attention that soon passes to another object.

flirted with one fashionable ism after another

coquet implies attracting interest or admiration without serious intention.

companies that coquet with environmentalism solely for public relations

Examples of flirt in a Sentence

Verb They were flirting all night. the servers at that restaurant flirt with all the customers Noun he's just a harmless flirt, so don't take him seriously
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Each time, he’s flirted with one of them or dated them briefly, and even though none of those relationships turned serious, it’s left me feeling conflicted. —Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024 Massie has flirted with controversy at times during his 12 years in office. —Lucas Aulbach, The Courier-Journal, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
Especially as Asia’s most stable democracy flirts with chaos. —William Pesek, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024 Galleria Continua’s proposition for Oh La La! flirts with provocation and banks on contrast and duality. —Sarah Belmont, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for flirt 

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1566, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of flirt was in 1566

Dictionary Entries Near flirt

flird

flirt

flirtable

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Flirt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flirt. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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Kids Definition

flirt

1 of 2 verb
ˈflərt How to pronounce flirt (audio)
1
: to show a liking for someone of the opposite sex just for fun
2
: toy entry 2
flirted with the idea
flirtation
ˌflər-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce flirt (audio)
noun
flirtatious
-shəs
adjective
flirtatiousness noun
flirter
ˈflərt-ər
noun

flirt

2 of 2 noun
1
: an act or instance of flirting
2
: a person who flirts a lot

More from Merriam-Webster on flirt

Nglish: Translation of flirt for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of flirt for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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