affair

noun

ə-ˈfer How to pronounce affair (audio)
Definition of affairnext
1
as in romance
also affaire a brief romantic relationship an affair between two singles spending the summer at the same beach resort

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in event
a social gathering the annual country club dance is a really fancy affair

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in production
something produced by physical or intellectual effort the lead float in the parade was a pretty impressive affair, a giant eagle's head with equally huge wings

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in incident
something that happens the whole affair from start to finish took a total of 15 minutes

Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in matter
something to be dealt with it's none of your affair whom I'm going out with tonight

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 affair Also serving as contributor will be Trevor Phillips, announced last month as the news division’s senior global affairs correspondent. — Jocelyn Noveck, Fortune, 29 July 2026 His lone start with the Crimson Tide was an early-season affair at USF in 2023 when Nick Saban benched Jalen Milroe. — Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 Latin Mafia includes Milton and his brothers Emilio and Mike, so this project has been a family affair. — Lucas Villa, Rolling Stone, 29 July 2026 Alford chairs the House Small Business Committee subcommittee oversight, investigations and regulations, and is the vice chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on military construction, veterans affairs and related agencies. — Jack Harvel july 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for affair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affair
  1. romance
  2. event
  3. production
  4. incident
  5. matter
  6. fling
  7. party
  8. product
Noun
  • But to your brain, romance may look less like affection and more like craving, stress, and reward.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 2 Aug. 2026
  • But now that the reception has ended, MARTA should capitalize on some locals’ new romance with transit and keep that spark alive.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of romance
Noun
  • Crime has been down considerably across the city this year, despite several high-profile events occurring in recent months.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
  • And the other is a wealthier bride shopping for diverse silhouettes for her multiple events, her entire wardrobe customized by the country’s top designers.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
Definition of event
Noun
  • The plan includes the elimination of tunnels, arms stockpiles and weapons production facilities, the diplomat said, adding that by the end of the process there would be no remaining militant infrastructure in Gaza.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 31 July 2026
  • The non-profit theater, which already runs on tight margins, creates immersive hands-on productions designed for young people and their families.
    — Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of production
Noun
  • Federal legislative efforts, including the FRONTIER Act, are emerging, focusing on risk assessments and incident reporting.
    — Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • But that conviction was dismissed after the revelation that a juror in the trial had not disclosed a domestic violence incident in her own background in order to win a seat on the panel, The Denver Post reports.
    — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of incident
Noun
  • Multiple people familiar with the matter said the crown prince raised concerns about plans for potential strikes on Iran during the call.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Fischer studies cultural anthropology, specializing in matters of economics and moralities.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of matter
Noun
  • Beyond that title, the boldest thing about the film is that Araki doesn’t condemn Erika or Elliot for their fling.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
  • From short-term flings to longstanding love stories, nepo babies have a way of gravitating toward one another.
    — Ayana Herndon, InStyle, 25 July 2026
Definition of fling
Noun
  • Guest lists of hundreds of people and celebrations lasting up to three or four days are hardly uncommon, usually a mix of traditional rituals and elaborate parties.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • Burnham won three straight mayoral elections, in 2017, 2021 and 2024, and Labour candidate Bev Craig, the current leader of Manchester City Council, is hoping to retain the mayoralty for the party.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
Definition of party
Noun
  • Zuckerberg’s vision is one where personal superintelligence becomes a consumer product, as available and varied as smartphones.
    — Anisha Sircar, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
  • For people with privacy concerns, Wachter notes that some companies that provide electronic medical records like Epic, the maker of MyChart, offer their own AI products.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
Definition of product

Phrases Containing affair

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affair
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Cite this Entry

“Affair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affair. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of affair for Spanish Speakers

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