1
as in teases
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun
the servers at that restaurant flirt with all the customers
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in flits
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
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Recent Examples of flirts
Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
Jp Mangalindan, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
Opening with a melancholic harmonica that flirts with a country twang, the track feels unfiltered as Eric Aragón (real name) sings of regret and the sting of love gone wrong.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 16 Jan. 2026
At the party, Gerry Wade (Corey Mylchreest) flirts endearingly with Bundle.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
While the Navy flirts with battleship concepts and struggles to find a strategy to support even their handful of well-performing surface combatants, the Coast Guard’s Sentinel class Fast Response Cutter (FRC) production line, once set to wind down, has secure funding and is set to keep building.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Mark briefly flirts with manosphere-style aggrievement, but anger doesn’t suit him.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 4 Jan. 2026
Reeves flirts with Michael Douglas territory in this Eli Roth erotic thriller that’s not especially good but is interesting as an acting exercise.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
Columbus, Ohio, could approach its daily record high of 83 degrees Saturday, while San Antonio, Texas, flirts with a daily record of 93 degrees.
—Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025
While Courtney flirts with tattooed store clerk Chad (Wolfhard), Norman and Neil meet a trouble-making (and territorial) phantom kid.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
In the visual, Faith is in a bar singing about and to her love interest, as Thornton performs onstage, flirts, and drinks his way through the night.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
Delivered with an ease that flirts with comedy, it can be taken as humor punctuating drama.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
Opening with a melancholic harmonica that flirts with a country twang, the track feels unfiltered as Eric Aragón (real name) sings of regret and the sting of love gone wrong.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 16 Jan. 2026
At the party, Gerry Wade (Corey Mylchreest) flirts endearingly with Bundle.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
While the Navy flirts with battleship concepts and struggles to find a strategy to support even their handful of well-performing surface combatants, the Coast Guard’s Sentinel class Fast Response Cutter (FRC) production line, once set to wind down, has secure funding and is set to keep building.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Mark briefly flirts with manosphere-style aggrievement, but anger doesn’t suit him.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 4 Jan. 2026
Reeves flirts with Michael Douglas territory in this Eli Roth erotic thriller that’s not especially good but is interesting as an acting exercise.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
Columbus, Ohio, could approach its daily record high of 83 degrees Saturday, while San Antonio, Texas, flirts with a daily record of 93 degrees.
—Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025
While Courtney flirts with tattooed store clerk Chad (Wolfhard), Norman and Neil meet a trouble-making (and territorial) phantom kid.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flirts
Verb
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As his feelings for Sophie deepen, the trailer teases rising tension around class, identity and loyalty, forcing Benedict to confront whether love can truly exist outside the rigid expectations of the Ton.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Mykhailova teases him about being so much older than the other students in the program.—
Natalie Yahr,
jsonline.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As the movie flits between these different storylines, time is reframed less as something to resist (or defy) than as something to embrace.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
23 Jan. 2026
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Identity takes the lead as the Moon flits into your sign, so your tone, pace, and choices are most likely to set the mood for everyone today.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel (center) flutters a Venezuelan and Cuban national flags in support of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in Havana.—
Kiki Intarasuwan,
CBS News,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The barefoot one darts forward and drops a wet leaflet into one of your shopping bags.—
Molly Aitken,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
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When Samson starts coming round in search of more of the morphine darts Kelson has been using to subdue him — not even zombies are immune to the appeal of opiates — Kelson starts treating his wounds, then joining him in his doses, then dancing with him to fragments of ’80s songs.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Then Ross dances the line between Zionism and Judaism.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
23 Jan. 2026
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Maurice Vasquez dances in his prison cell to blaring rap music, wearing a straw hat and designer glasses.—
Matthew Ormseth,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As a director, his credits include A Family Man starring Gerard Butler, as well as the Liam Neeson flicks Honest Thief and Blacklight.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
5 Feb. 2026
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Think Judd Apatow flicks with Steve Carell and Seth Rogen, or sitcoms starring Charlie Sheen.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flirts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flirts. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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