flirt
Americanverb (used without object)
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flirts,
present (3rd person singular)
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flirted,
past participle, past
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flirting
present participle
verb (used with object)
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flirts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
flirted,
past participle, past
-
flirting
present participle
-
to give a sudden or brisk motion to; wave smartly, as a fan.
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to throw or propel with a toss or jerk; fling suddenly.
verb
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(intr) to behave or act amorously without emotional commitment; toy or play with another's affections; dally
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to deal playfully or carelessly (with something dangerous or serious); trifle
the motorcyclist flirted with death
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to think casually (about); toy (with)
to flirt with the idea of leaving
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(intr) to move jerkily; dart; flit
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(tr) to subject to a sudden swift motion; flick or toss
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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flirtsimple
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flirtssimple
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have flirtedperfect
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has flirtedperfect
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am flirtingprogressive
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are flirtingprogressive
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is flirtingprogressive
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have been flirtingperfect progressive
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has been flirtingperfect progressive
Past
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flirtedsimple
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had flirtedperfect
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was flirtingprogressive
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were flirtingprogressive
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had been flirtingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of flirt
First recorded in 1540–50; of expressive origin; compare similar initial cluster in flap, flick 1, flip 1 and final elements of squirt, spurt
Explanation
If you're interested in someone romantically, you might flirt with them, which means to chat them up or tease them in a playful way. Flirting is an indirect and fun way to let your crush know you're interested, like a seductive line or a few coy words. Or if there's a girl you've had your eye on, you might make a point of walking by her desk and saying hello every morning. But even if you don't have a love interest, you can still flirt. Driving carelessly is flirting with disaster: it's almost like you're toying with the idea of getting into an accident.
Vocabulary lists containing flirt
"Analysis of Baseball" and "Singing and Stretching"
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The Lions of Little Rock
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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Once everyone is locked in, COs get to lounge around inside the bubble: eat, drink coffee, flirt with each other, complain, maybe nap until they have to perform the 10:30 p.m. count.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
Rothko also begins to flirt with Surrealism—which becomes more pronounced in his output as the tragedies of World War II unfolded.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
"We expect the Fed to hold through year end even as futures markets flirt with pricing in a hike," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
When I sit down to meal plan, I open my grocery list in one tab and my supermarket’s app in another and let them flirt with each other for a few minutes.
From Salon ● May 22, 2026
I want Justin to flirt back, but he appears incapable.
From "Every Day" by David Levithan
America flirts with it and folds, every single cycle.
From Slate ● Jun. 6, 2026
The third involves a closure until July or even later, and this is the one that flirts with a global recession.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026
When asked if there are roles he’s dreaming of doing, Christopher flirts for a moment with Hamlet before opting for something from Tennessee Williams.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2026
Though her film flirts with surrealism, Bronstein carefully maintains a sense of truth as Linda scrapes past a never-ending pile of obstacles, trying to claw her way free before she’s buried alive.
From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2025
He hates it when she flirts with others.
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
That can be overwhelming - as Leicester City found out after their fairytale Premier League win back in 2015-16, when they flirted with relegation in their title defence season.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
Scheffler's surprising soliloquy about the importance of chasing golfing greatness caused a stir at Portrush last year and the four-time major winner flirted with similar territory at Birkdale.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Starter Ryan Johnson, who finished with a 14.40 earned run average in May, flirted with a no-hitter through through six innings on June 23 against the Baltimore Orioles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2026
After eight seasons with the Lakers, he became an unrestricted free agent and flirted with retirement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
He flirted so well with Hazel that he had obviously stolen her heart.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
With culture shifts happening in restaurant kitchens, perhaps it was prudent to show Bourdain’s character merely flirting with the dark side.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Whether you’re flirting or trying to make friends, it’s easier to exist in places where you’re not thought of as inherently ugly.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
The pound was flirting with 2026 lows against the dollar while yields on U.K. government bonds edged higher.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
Emery immediately made an impact, imposing structure, clarity and belief on a Villa side that was once again flirting with relegation to guide them to a top‑seven finish and European qualification in his first season.
From BBC ● Apr. 16, 2026
In a desperate and pleading voice I said, “I’m not flirting, Peter!”
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
