Synonyms of affair

affair

noun

ə-ˈfer 

1

as in romance

also affaire a brief romantic relationship

an affair between two singles spending the summer at the same beach resort

Synonyms & Similar Words

• romance
• intrigue
• love affair
• fling
• amour
• love
• dalliance
• infatuation
• liaison
• flirtation
• entanglement
• attachment
• hanky-panky
• idyll
• idyl
• puppy love
• passion
• calf-love

2

as in event

a social gathering

the annual country club dance is a really fancy affair

Synonyms & Similar Words

• event
• party
• reception
• bash
• celebration
• fête
• blowout
• fete
• shindig
• dance
• gala
• function
• blast
• get-together
• binge
• ball
• formal
• supper
• occasion
• fund-raiser
• do
• benefit
• orgy
• prom
• symposium
• soiree
• masquerade
• soirée
• bacchanal
• tea
• social
• bacchanalia
• clambake
• cocktail party
• shower
• stag
• tea party
• house party
• saturnalia
• keg party
• housewarming
• mixer
• salon
• bake
• hen party
• icebreaker
• meet and greet
• kegger
• klatch
• klatsch
• kaffeeklatsch

3

as in production

something produced by physical or intellectual effort

the lead float in the parade was a pretty impressive affair, a giant eagle's head with equally huge wings

Synonyms & Similar Words

• production
• product
• work
• yield
• result
• output
• outcome
• labor
• fruit
• thing
• produce
• handiwork
• resultant
• object
• article
• commodity
• entry
• development
• merchandise
• effect
• aftermath
• issue
• goods
• consequence
• upshot
• handicraft
• sequence
• wares
• sequel
• conclusion
• outgrowth
• offspring
• corollary
• derivative
• offshoot
• line
• side effect
• spin-off
• handcraft
• side reaction
• by-product
• aftereffect
• residual

4

as in incident

something that happens

the whole affair from start to finish took a total of 15 minutes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• event
• incident
• thing
• circumstance
• episode
• occurrence
• occasion
• happening
• accident
• experience
• time
• adventure
• phenomenon
• hap
• coincidence
• crisis
• fluke
• news
• landmark
• page
• emergency
• turning point
• milestone
• freak
• deed
• achievement
• juncture
• happenstance
• feat
• co-occurrence
• tidings
• exploit
• happenchance
• milepost

5

as in matter

something to be dealt with

it's none of your affair whom I'm going out with tonight

Synonyms & Similar Words

• matter
• thing
• business
• problem
• issue
• crisis
• concern
• worry
• consideration
• emergency
• predicament
• trouble
• ball of wax
• juncture
• responsibility
• exigency
• flash point
• strait
• care
• crunch
• zero hour
• impasse
• deadlock
• hot water
• standstill
• halt
• pickle
• jam
• stalemate
• crossroad(s)
• spot
• head
• fix
• corner
• hole
• lookout
• pinch
• scrape

Examples of affair in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Laura Calderone of Relish catering — who's catered everything from foreign dignitary affairs to the White House egg roll — tells Axios that all three of her election night parties were canceled as the race tightened. —Anna Spiegel, Axios, 30 Oct. 2024

There are chaotic dinner parties, torrid affairs, a nude tennis match. —Judy Berman, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024

Clinton admitted to lying under oath about his affair with Lewinsky. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024

Lawn and Patterson met while working for the BBC’s flagship current affairs show Panorama. —Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Oct. 2024

Phrases Containing affair

• love affair