FLIRTING Synonyms: 51 Similar and Opposite Words

flirting

verb

present participle of flirt

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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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

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.

Recent Examples of flirting However, with Martinez pushing to leave again and flirting with Juventus, Villa decided to grant him his wish and brought in Zion Suzuki from Parma as his replacement. — David Ornstein, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 In the 1974 song, Parton sings about a woman flirting with her man. — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 26 Aug. 2026 It’s been so hot in North Texas this summer that even the low temperatures are flirting with breaking records. — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Aug. 2026 This is indeed a response to Julian’s open flirting with Barca. — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 With both sides of the aisle keeping an eye toward the 2028 presidential election, Hunter Biden isn’t even flirting with the idea of running. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026 Deadline reported the news of Waldron’s latest Marvel project, which the studio has been flirting with since the Nova Corps. — Devan Coggan, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Aug. 2026 There’s no real conflict at the table, aside from Kyle continuing to harp on Gizelle lightly flirting with Mauricio on RHOP last season. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026 Monday’s National Weather Service forecast calls for sunny skies and a high of 94 degrees, flirting with a record high of 95 in Miami for the day, Gonzalez said. — Miami Herald Staff, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flirting

Verb

Professional athletes have joked about it in the past, with even all-time NBA great LeBron James teasing at a potential college sports journey post-retirement—albeit as more of a joke than an actual plan.

— Joshua Hong, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Netflix has dropped a first look at the sixth and final season teasing that answer.

— Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of teasing

Verb

Chelsea attack with venom; Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro and Morgan Rogers are darting flashes of blue steel.

— George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Other textiles in the house were found in India, Egypt, and Kuwait, where Consuelo bought a Bedouin tent, soon to be installed among the fig, persimmon, and pomegranate trees—and the darting lizards—in the gardens.

— Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of darting

Verb

The formula is one of those shampoos formulated for a really great wash—delivering moisture and smoothing without toying too far into volumizing, densifying, or hair growth.

— Ellie Davis, Vogue, 25 June 2026
The age-gap romance is one that Statsky said the writers have been toying around with for quite some time.

— Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026

Definition of toying

Verb

Upon further review of the camera footage, Sam Gough, a park supervisor for the Incline Village General Improvement District, said the light appeared to be just a bug flitting across the lens.

— Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026
An airy, not-too-sweet vanilla like Taunt is the perfect encapsulation of a Gemini who’s always flitting from one topic of interest to the next.

— Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 14 July 2026

Definition of flitting

Verb

Anybody hoping that a Netanyahu defeat in October and the emergence of a less controversial successor will reset the table is likely fooling themselves.

— Daniel DePetris, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
Throughout all the commotion, Romelu Lukaku acted as decoy, holding on to the ball, fooling everyone, including the TV producer, who pulled up a graphic showing his recent penalty record.

— Geir Jordet, New York Times, 15 July 2026

Definition of fooling

Verb

But Guthrie wasn’t kidding, slipping into a yellow gingham dress before joining her co-hosts on the Today Show Plaza to greet visitors.

— Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Just kidding, but seeing Angela’s team sweep Shamea’s at the Bailey Bowl basketball tournament was almost as satisfying as knowing Charles got to witness his former team’s historic win in person.

— Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 22 June 2026

Definition of kidding

Verb

As skirts got shorter and the Jazz Age changed how women dressed, women wanted to show off their feet and looked for secure shoes for dancing.

— Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
Repetitive motifs in various shapes were her trademark, resembling netting, swirls or worms, but most often dots, dancing proudly on her canvases or as sparkling balls or dots of light in her installations in all their vibrant, psychedelic glory.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026