philander
Americanverb (used without object)
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philanders,
present (3rd person singular)
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philandered,
past participle, past
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philandering
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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philandersimple
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philanderssimple
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have philanderedperfect
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has philanderedperfect
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am philanderingprogressive
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are philanderingprogressive
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is philanderingprogressive
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have been philanderingperfect progressive
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has been philanderingperfect progressive
Past
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philanderedsimple
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had philanderedperfect
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was philanderingprogressive
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were philanderingprogressive
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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
"Oglander," he said to himself, "a curious, charming name, rhyming with Leander, philander——" he shook his head and smiled, "no, no, not philander," he said, speaking the words aloud.
From Jane Oglander by Marie Belloc Lowndes
Human nature is human nature still, whether it fawn in the court or philander in the grove.
From Rattlin the Reefer by Frederick Marryat
I mean that she is clever and very rich, and philanders with philanthropy.
From Hollyhock A Spirit of Mischief by W. (William) Rainey
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 Hannah Jane Locker-Lampson
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
Druro was about to object in his turn, though, for a moment, he philandered with the delightful thought of getting even with Gay by covering her with dust and petrol fumes.
From Blue Aloes Stories of South Africa by Cynthia Stockley
The fellow had philandered round her some time, and had shown an insolent and interfering temper once or twice towards himself.
From Harvest by Mrs. Humphry Ward
Filial duty took him by the collar and dragged him inside, while his mother philandered among the bronze and terra-cotta statuettes.
From The Voice of the City: Further Stories of the Four Million by O. Henry
Born in 1929 to a wealthy and conservative family -- by her account with a domineering mother and philandering father -- Kusama began producing her unique signature art aged 10.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
The inevitable scandals aren’t about state-sponsored doping schemes but cheating curlers and a philandering biathlete.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 15, 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
Would it be bad to date a philandering semi-famous pop star?
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
