1
2
: a procedure, action, or occasion only vaguely specified
also
: an object or collection of objects only vaguely specified
Their house was a 2-story affair.
3
or less commonly affaire
a
: a romantic or passionate attachment typically of limited duration : liaison sense 2b
had an affair with a coworker
b
: a matter occasioning public anxiety, controversy, or scandal : case
the Watergate affair of the early 1970s
Examples of affair in a Sentence
After the war, the government focused on its own domestic affairs.
They accused the U.S. of interfering in the internal affairs of other nations.
How I choose to live is my affair, not yours.
adulterous affairs between married men and single women
Recent Examples on the Web
Rodeos in rural Australia are more modest affairs, with distinct cultural origins rooted in pastoral stations and country towns.
—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
5 July 2026
An enjoyable end-to-end affair where the first half felt like a rout, with Australia having as many shots as yellow cards — two, the same number of goals the United States had scored.
—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
5 July 2026
My job is to report in a timely manner on crime, mass shootings, war coverage, domestic and international affairs, pop culture and more.
—
Doha Madani,
NBC news,
5 July 2026
To scroll the internet during the Swift-Kelce nuptials was to see a barrage of people lamenting the city’s electricity bill, misspent taxpayer dollars, and the alleged tackiness of a private, sure, but very much not secret affair.
—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
4 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for affair
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.
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
5 July 2026
An enjoyable end-to-end affair where the first half felt like a rout, with Australia having as many shots as yellow cards — two, the same number of goals the United States had scored.
—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
5 July 2026
My job is to report in a timely manner on crime, mass shootings, war coverage, domestic and international affairs, pop culture and more.
—
Doha Madani,
NBC news,
5 July 2026
To scroll the internet during the Swift-Kelce nuptials was to see a barrage of people lamenting the city’s electricity bill, misspent taxpayer dollars, and the alleged tackiness of a private, sure, but very much not secret affair.
—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
4 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for affair
Cite this Entry
“Affair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affair. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
affair
noun
af·fair
ə-ˈfa(ə)r 
-ˈfe(ə)r
1
a
plural
: commercial, professional, public, or personal business
government affairs
arranged my affairs before leaving
b
: concern entry 2 sense 1, matter
not your affair at all
2
a
: event sense 1b, activity
a social affair
b
: product sense 2, thing
the house was a two-story affair
3
: a brief romantic relationship
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
