1
2
: a procedure, action, or occasion only vaguely specified
also
: an object or collection of objects only vaguely specified
Their house was a 2-story affair.
3
or less commonly affaire
a
: a romantic or passionate attachment typically of limited duration : liaison sense 2b
had an affair with a coworker
b
: a matter occasioning public anxiety, controversy, or scandal : case
the Watergate affair of the early 1970s
Examples of affair in a Sentence
After the war, the government focused on its own domestic affairs.
They accused the U.S. of interfering in the internal affairs of other nations.
How I choose to live is my affair, not yours.
adulterous affairs between married men and single women
Recent Examples on the Web
Carducci has worked in various roles within the United States Soccer Federation and was the director of player affairs for the National Women’s Soccer League between 2021 and 2022.
—
Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2024
Dour demeanors aside, there was never any sense that the concert was simply a plug-and-play affair.
—Andrew Barker, Variety, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for affair 
Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2024
Dour demeanors aside, there was never any sense that the concert was simply a plug-and-play affair.
—Andrew Barker, Variety, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for affair
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'affair.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Affair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affair. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
affair
noun
af·fair
ə-ˈfa(ə)r 
-ˈfe(ə)r
1
a
plural
: commercial, professional, public, or personal business
government affairs
arranged my affairs before leaving
b
: concern entry 2 sense 1, matter
not your affair at all
2
a
: event sense 1b, activity
a social affair
b
: product sense 2, thing
the house was a two-story affair
3
: a brief romantic relationship
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