fling 1 of 2

noun

Definition of flingnext
1
as in spree
a time or instance of carefree fun most families spend Labor Day weekend having one last summer fling

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in attempt
an effort to do or accomplish something take a fling at waterskiing and see how it goes

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in affair
a brief romantic relationship an ill-advised fling with a coworker

Synonyms & Similar Words

fling

2 of 2

verb

ˈfliŋ How to pronounce fling (audio)
as in to throw
to send through the air especially with a quick forward motion of the arm flinging rocks into the pond just for the fun of it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word fling distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of fling are cast, hurl, pitch, sling, throw, and toss. While all these words mean "to cause to move swiftly through space by a propulsive movement or a propelling force," fling stresses a violent throwing.

flung the ring back in his face

When would cast be a good substitute for fling?

The words cast and fling can be used in similar contexts, but cast usually implies lightness in the thing thrown and sometimes a scattering.

cast it to the winds

When can hurl be used instead of fling?

Although the words hurl and fling have much in common, hurl implies power as in throwing a massive weight.

hurled himself at the intruder

Where would pitch be a reasonable alternative to fling?

The meanings of pitch and fling largely overlap; however, pitch suggests throwing carefully at a target.

pitch horseshoes

When is sling a more appropriate choice than fling?

While in some cases nearly identical to fling, sling stresses either the use of whirling momentum in throwing or directness of aim.

slung the bag over his shoulder

In what contexts can throw take the place of fling?

The synonyms throw and fling are sometimes interchangeable, but throw is general and interchangeable with the other terms but may specifically imply a distinctive motion with bent arm.

can throw a fastball and a curve

When might toss be a better fit than fling?

While the synonyms toss and fling are close in meaning, toss suggests a light or careless or aimless throwing and may imply an upward motion.

tossed the coat on the bed

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 fling
Noun
The 41-year-old virgin 💌 Amanda McCracken dated throughout her 20s and 30s, with her share of situationships, one-off dates and flings. —Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026 Peter wondered how his flings from Christopher Street might look when photographed. —Andrew Durbin, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
Miranda flings furs across desks like royal decrees. —Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 28 Apr. 2026 Another video showed Chonkers reemerging from the water, flinging himself onto a dock full of smaller sea lions who, save for one apparently brave animal, fled at the sight and reverberations of their massive neighbor. —Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fling
  1. spree
  2. attempt
  3. affair
  4. throw
  5. romp
  6. try
  7. romance
  8. hurl
Noun
  • That spending spree pulled their 2026 payroll all the way up to 22nd in baseball.
    — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 4 May 2026
  • May her killing spree run forever!
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 4 May 2026
Definition of spree
Noun
  • Cunningham was 13-for-23 from the field, made all 14 of his free throw attempts and added five assists.
    — Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 1 May 2026
  • When scientists initially studied attempts to learn while sleeping, the results seemed promising.
    — Shayla Love, New Yorker, 1 May 2026
Definition of attempt
Noun
  • The king doesn’t dictate policy in the United Kingdom and rarely publicly comments on government affairs.
    — Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The rest of the East is sorting its affairs.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
Definition of affair
Verb
  • Sasaki rebounded to throw three perfect innings to finish his outing.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
  • The Supreme Court’s rollback of the Voting Rights Act is already throwing the 2026 midterm elections into flux, as states weigh last-minute changes to their congressional maps, while preparing for a much broader redistricting battle in the years beyond.
    — Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 2 May 2026
Definition of throw
Noun
  • In the South Shore League, Jacob Landers tossed a complete-game shutout with 11 strikeouts for Middleboro in a 10-0 romp over Carver.
    — Brian Roach, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
  • Moving through the images feels like a romp around a year of both crisis and hope, as the economy crumbles and Obama is elected.
    — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 1 May 2026
Definition of romp
Noun
  • The Los Angeles Angels walked off the Mets, 4-3, in the 10th inning on Saturday night at Angel Stadium, handing the Amazins’ their 18th loss in their last 22 tries.
    — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 3 May 2026
  • After first settling in Iowa, Zama gave soccer another try.
    — Krystle Rich, CBS News, 2 May 2026
Definition of try
Noun
  • Song of the Goddess, 1992, which Pau made while living in New York, is a tribute to the secret real-life romance between two female Cantonese opera stars, Yam Kim-fai and Pak Suet-sin.
    — Pauline J. Yao, Artforum, 2 May 2026
  • There were sequels, corsets, and movie romances in an age when the genre was dying.
    — Chris Feil, Vulture, 1 May 2026
Definition of romance
Verb
  • The protest damaged a Communist Party office, with some protesters throwing rocks at the building and hurling furniture into a bonfire amid chants of freedom.
    — Jorge Carrasco, NBC news, 1 May 2026
  • The tornado ripped roofs from houses, punched through walls, and hurled Perez's trailer across the property.
    — Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 1 May 2026
Definition of hurl

Phrases Containing fling

Browse Nearby Words

flinders
fling
flinging
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fling. Accessed 5 May. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on fling

Nglish: Translation of fling for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of augur

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Other Words for Beautiful

The Words of the Week - May 1

Was 'nervous Nellie' a Real Person?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

The Longest Long Words List

9 Other Words for Beautiful
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
baobab-trees
Name That Tree! A quiz that’s all bark, no bite.
See All