flirt

1 of 3

verb

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

intransitive verb

1
a
: to behave amorously without serious intent
teenagers flirting at the party
b
: to show superficial or casual interest or liking
flirted with the idea
also : experiment
a novelist flirting with poetry
2
: to come close to reaching or experiencing something
—used with with
flirting with disaster
3
: to move erratically : flit
butterflies flirting among the flowers

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 3

noun (1)

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

flirter

3 of 3

noun (2)

flirt·​er
ˈflər|tər, 
-lə̄|tə(r, 
-ləi|tə(r, 
|tə-
plural -s
: one that flirts

Synonyms of flirt

Relevance

Verb

Noun (1)

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 (1) 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
So was the back-and-forth between the Norwegian golfer and Scheffler, who briefly flirted with a 59 on Friday. — Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026 Like Friday, when a rookie lefty was flirting with a no-hitter in the middle innings, Bennett held New York hitless until Schuemann’s two-out homer in the fifth. — ABC News, 27 June 2026
Noun
The hole’s narrow fairway flirts with disaster on both sides – water and super high rough. — Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 14 May 2026 Surrounded by honeymooners, June tries (and flirts) to reclaim her joie de vivre, while Lela is deep in the dark. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for flirt

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun (1)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1566, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 3

Noun (1)

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of flirt was in 1566

Rhymes for flirt

See All Rhymes for flirt

Browse Nearby Words

flird
flirt
flirtable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flirt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flirt. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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