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 After flirting with near-record heat in recent days, Kansas City will get a cool, gray taste of fall on Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. — Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026 Representations and Acknowledgements • Saeed and Molly, the two other junior associates at Taylor & Byrne, seem to be scoping out Johnny for their own uses; Molly, for her part, has already activated some light flirting. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026 Extreme jealousy is another warning sign, Ray-Jones added, which may manifest as accusations of flirting or cheating. — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026 Basically, this thing is flirting pretty heavily with laptop territory. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026 The Stetties avoided such crises, flirting without signing away their New Woman freedoms. — Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026 The Huskers were flirting with disaster before McDougle’s seventh career interception and first in his first year at Nebraska. — Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026 The victim also allegedly told a DOC lieutenant that Cruz would give her candy and that the two began flirting with each other in February 2025. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 24 Sep. 2026 This guy ignoring your friend and flirting with other women around her is unacceptable — period. — Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 17 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flirting

Verb

Mahomes began teasing the collection last week with several posts on her Instagram.

— Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
As part of the panel, co-showrunners and executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau introduced a new clip teasing the second season, alongside series cast members Holly Hunter, Sandro Rosta, Bella Shepard, Karim Diané and Robert Picardo.

— Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of teasing

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

Multiple anglers reeled in yellowfin tuna, which were visible through the clear water flitting back and forth near the boat.

— Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of flitting

Verb

In the highlight, Marshall retrieves the ball and oddly fires it back to the infield, fooling no one.

— Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of fooling

Verb

But kidding aside, AI used in the right way can make people smarter about their health, more so than most realize.

— Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
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