philander
Americanverb (used without object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
philandersimple
-
philanderssimple
-
have philanderedperfect
-
has philanderedperfect
-
am philanderingprogressive
-
are philanderingprogressive
-
is philanderingprogressive
-
have been philanderingperfect progressive
-
has been philanderingperfect progressive
Past
-
philanderedsimple
-
had philanderedperfect
-
was philanderingprogressive
-
were philanderingprogressive
-
had been philanderingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of philander
First recorded in 1675–85; from Greek phílandros “one who loves” (of a woman, loving her husband); see philo-, andro-; later used in fiction as a proper name for a lover, and apparently mistaken as “a man who loves”
Explanation
To philander is to flirt or casually date a large number of people. If you philander, you don't have one steady, serious relationship, but instead dabble in many casual ones. It's most common to say that a man philanders when he is excessively flirtatious or cheats on his partner with many other people. The word has both a sense of sneakiness and lightheartedness, and it comes from the now-obsolete noun philander, "husband" or "lover." The name Philander, in fact, was popular in 18th century literature for the character of a lover, from the Greek word philandros, "with love for the people."
Vocabulary lists containing philander
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:
"It says 'accept certain inalienable truths - prices will rise, politicians will philander and you too will get old'."
From BBC ● Jan. 24, 2026
He did not drink or philander; his first marriage ended in an amicable divorce after twelve years, and his second lasted until his death in 1965.
From Time Magazine Archive
“Don’t mean to have any. It’s fun to watch other people philander, but I should feel like a fool doing it myself,” said Jo, looking alarmed at the thought.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
They philander clownishly with this mirage of my thought.
From Fantazius Mallare A Mysterious Oath by Smith, Wallace
If she had no disposition to philander what was his warrant for supposing she could be corrupted into respectability?
From The Tragic Muse by James, Henry
I mean that she is clever and very rich, and philanders with philanthropy.
From Hollyhock A Spirit of Mischief by Rainey, W. (William)
Mine uncle, on his bowling-green, Still storms a breach in Flanders; And faithful Trim, starch, tall, and lean, With Bridget still philanders.
From A Selection from the Works of Frederick Locker by Locker-Lampson, Hannah Jane
While the men in the family philandered, Eunice spurned the wooing of her faithful suitor Sargent Shriver for seven years and came close to taking vows of chastity.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 13, 2018
In Paris, Lulu philandered crazily with gamblers, procurers and swindlers.
From Time Magazine Archive
He had—no, he had not philandered in the rose garden.
From The Justice of the King by Drummond, Hamilton
Do you remember the sundial over which Dolly and Mr. Carter philandered, the one which bore the motto— Horas non numero nisi serenas?
From Penguin Persons & Peppermints by Eaton, Walter Prichard
The collector, in white linen and canvas shoes, philandered with papers on an antique desk.
From Cabbages and Kings by Henry, O.
She eventually discovered his philandering and made his life unpleasant as a consequence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
The film delved into the loneliness of a woman trapped in a loveless marriage to a philandering, often tyrannical landlord in an opulent yet feudal world.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2025
In that long-ago HBO drama, Greg Kinnear’s philandering husband chucks aside Toni Collette’s devoted but defeated wife.
From Salon ● May 29, 2025
Eastwood, who also directed Hackman as a philandering U.S. president in the 1997 thriller “Absolute Power,” was a longtime fan.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2025
“I am not a philandering man, and you know that. This would not have happened if my mother didn’t have a hand!”
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
