What does flirted mean?
Flirted is the past tense of the verb 'flirt', describing playful, often light-hearted romantic behaviour directed at another person, typically without serious intent or commitment. Someone who flirted may have exchanged teasing remarks, lingering glances, or affectionate banter, enjoying the thrill of attraction while keeping things deliberately noncommittal. The word carries a connotation of lightness rather than earnest pursuit; it can suggest charm and fun on one hand, or superficiality and insincerity on the other, depending on context. Beyond romance, 'flirted' has a well-established figurative sense: to engage tentatively or fleetingly with an idea, opportunity, or risk, as in 'he flirted with the idea of quitting' or 'the team flirted with relegation'. This flexibility makes the word useful across both social and journalistic writing. Its origins are uncertain, but by the eighteenth century 'flirt' had become firmly associated with playful courtship, and it remains one of the most common English words for ambiguous romantic signalling.
Behaved toward someone in a playfully amorous or romantically suggestive way without serious intent.
"They flirted over coffee for hours, neither willing to end the afternoon."
Treated an idea, risk, or course of action in a casual, tentative way without committing to it.
"The band flirted with mainstream success before returning to their indie roots."
This figurative sense is especially common in news and business writing.
'Flirt' originally meant a sudden jerking movement — a sharp flick — before it settled into its meaning of playful courtship in the late 18th century.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of flirted
The origin of 'flirt' is uncertain, though it appears in English by the mid-sixteenth century, when it meant a sudden jerk or quick movement — such as flicking something away. It was also used of people given to erratic or frivolous behaviour. By the late seventeenth and early eighteenth century the word had come to describe playful, non-serious courtship, the sense that survives today. Related derivatives include 'flirtation' and 'flirtatious'.
Related word forms
How flirted is actually used
Informal to neutral in register. The literal romantic sense is by far the dominant use; the extended sense of 'toying with' an idea or danger is common in journalism and adds a slightly dramatic tone.
Easily confused with flirted
'Flirted' means behaved playfully romantically, while 'flaunted' means showed something off ostentatiously.