What does "affair" mean?
Something which is done or is to be done; business of any kind, commercial, professional, or public.
Affair
/əˈfɛə/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Something which is done or is to be done; business of any kind, commercial, professional, or public.
- Grammar: affair is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: function, liaison, matter, occasion.
- Useful contrasts: irrelevance, nonevent, nonromantic bond.
- Usage evidence: We must study the affair as a whole.
How to use "affair"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "affair" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "affair" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "affair" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "affair" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "affair" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "function" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "affair", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Something which is done or is to be done; business of any kind, commercial, professional, or public. in-plural, often
"a difficult affair to manage"
- 2 a vaguely specified concern wordnet
- 3 Any proceeding or action which it is wished to refer to or characterize vaguely.
"an affair of honor"
- 4 a formal or official social gathering or ceremony of people wordnet
- 5 An action or engagement not of sufficient magnitude to be called a battle.
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 a usually secretive or illicit sexual relationship wordnet
- 7 A material object (vaguely designated).
"He used a hook-shaped affair with a long handle to unlock the car."
- 8 An adulterous relationship, chiefly of a married person. (from affaire de cœur, affair of the heart).
"When Martin's wife found out about his affair with her best friend, she asked for a divorce."
- 9 An otherwise illicit romantic relationship, such as with someone who is not one's regular partner (boyfriend, girlfriend).
"Jerry's girlfriend said she wanted to go steady, but she was in an affair with one of his team-mates."
- 10 A person with whom someone has an adulterous relationship.
"I was his affair and he was a little boy toy to me... Together it was our little scandal."
- 11 A party or social gathering, especially of a formal nature.
"She also guessed that Lady Gladstone had not told them the affair had been planned some time ago. “We are looking forward to visiting you on Friday, Lady Gladstone,” said Harriet. “Geoffrey thought I might have forgotten because you sent us your invitation such ages ago, but I said, 'My dear brother, how could I possibly forget an invitation from Lady Gladstone?'“ “How very odd,” commented the comte lazily. “Lady Gladstone was just telling us it was an impromptu affair.”"
- 12 The (male or female) genitals. archaic, slang
"... ſhe, with the greateſt effrontery imaginable, unbuttons his breeches, and removing his ſhirt, draws out his affair, ſo ſhrunk and diminiſh’d that I could not but remember the difference, now creſt-fallen, or just faintly lifting its head: but our experinc’d matron very ſoon, by chafing it with her hands, brought it to ſwell to that ſize and erection I had before ſeen it up to."
Antonyms
Example
"We must study the affair as a whole."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "affair"?
Common synonyms include: function, liaison, matter, occasion, activities, activity.
How do you use "affair" in a sentence?
We must study the affair as a whole.
How do you pronounce "affair"?
Pronounced /əˈfɛə/.
Etymology
From Middle English afere, affere, from Old French afaire, from a- + faire (“to do”), from Latin ad- + facere (“to do”). See fact, and compare ado.