dating 1 of 2

Definition of datingnext
as in romance
the series of social engagements shared by a couple looking to get married their dating had been going on for so long that she was starting to wonder if she'd ever take that trip down the aisle

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dating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of date
1
as in accompanying
to go on a social engagement with I don't want to date him—I'd rather just be friends

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2
as in courting
to go on dates that may eventually lead to marriage we dated for two years before we got engaged

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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 dating
Noun
And smaller group chats are where real conversations are happening (even online dating is moving IRL again). Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 27 Mar. 2026 The discovery and dating of Monte Verde, which was initially mired in controversy, appeared to put that to rest. Adithi Ramakrishnan, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026 The discovery and dating of Monte Verde, which was initially mired in controversy, appeared to put that to rest. ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026 The news comes after a complicated few months for The Bachelor, which was once one of TV’s most popular reality TV dating shows. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 19 Mar. 2026 There is an aspect of online dating that lends itself to storytelling. Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026 Krystal Wilkinson, a British human resource management professor, has written about finding that children and child care are considered far more legitimate reasons for placing boundaries on work than engaging in hobbies, fitness or dating. Peter McGraw, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2026 While Mi-rae chooses to devote most of her free time to real-life dating, two characters end the series as Boyfriend on Demand subscribers. Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Mar. 2026 Similar to the radiocarbon dating of fossils, the level of metabolic deterioration in moss can reveal to botanists when the plant was harvested or moved. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
The Ryder Cup decision by the PGA of America was not a surprise given the last five chaotic days involving Woods dating to his Friday arrest. ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026 Jenner and Chalamet have been dating for roughly three years. Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026 The two-story, Italianate-style structure had a proud history, though, dating to the mid-1800s when all of downtown was of a similar scale, before the era of skyscrapers. Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2026 In an arrest report obtained by PEOPLE, police allege Le Lievre began dating the girl's mother in October 2023 and remained involved with each other until early January 2024. Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026 Miller and Wilson had a very public breakup after dating for a few months during the show's eighth season. Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Apr. 2026 Self, who has also been head coach at Illinois, Tulsa and Oral Roberts, has guided his teams to 23-win campaigns in 24 of the last 26 seasons dating to 1998-99. Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2026 Welniak added that her brother, Jack, is dating Tennessee pitcher Sage Mardjetko, the former Lemont standout. Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026 No dating advice has ever debunked the delusions of straight, single women quite so swiftly. Olivia Petter, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dating
Noun
  • Their feelings develop quietly, the burn paired with intellectual restraint, their romance remaining unresolved until far into the novel.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Correspondent Lee Cowan looks at the history of Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer's song, which expresses the thrills, fun and romance of baseball.
    David Morgan, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Dreher, who had moved to Budapest in 2022, was accompanying Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian Prime Minister, to a meeting with Vance about, among other things, the survival of Christianity in Europe.
    Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Kennedy spoke with Fox News in an exclusive interview accompanying the EPA/HHS announcement.
    Dr. Marc Siegel , Jennifer Johnson, FOXNews.com, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Chavismo defined itself globally by broadcasting fiery anti-Americanism while courting allies in Havana, Moscow, and Tehran to champion a multipolar world.
    Boris Muñoz, Time, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Franks had already been courting Willie Mays as the team’s potential manager, according to Vaccaro.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Their brief courtship echoes across the novel, the story marked by the memory of a love barely begun.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Organisms detected one another through molecules long before visual displays or acoustic courtship signals evolved.
    Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Some people celebrate Easter by attending Mass or another type of church service on Easter Sunday.
    Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Discerning Deacons has been working with Hermanos de la Calle, a nonprofit that started out of Muñoz’s desire to show his children that being a Christian means more than just attending weekly mass.
    Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2026

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“Dating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dating. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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