# affair

/əˈfɛɹ/ (US) · /ɐfˈeə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/affair
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. matters or business

noun · CEFR B2

matters or events that are connected with a person, a group, or a country.

For teachers: matters of public or private business; often used in the plural to describe professional or political concerns.

- The minister refused to comment on the internal affairs of the neighboring country.
- The board of directors is responsible for managing the financial affairs of the corporation and ensuring legal compliance.

Usage: Often used in the plural form 'affairs' when referring to business or politics.

### 2. secret relationship

noun · CEFR B2

a secret sexual relationship between two people, especially when at least one of them is married to someone else.

For teachers: a romantic or sexual relationship between two people who are not married to each other, typically involving infidelity.

- He found out that his wife was having an affair with a colleague from work.
- The tabloid press thrived on rumors of a clandestine affair between the high-profile politician and the famous actress.

### 3. an event or situation

noun · CEFR B2

an event, situation, or object that you are describing in a particular way.

For teachers: an event, proceeding, or physical object that is characterized by a specific quality or adjective.

- The whole dinner party was a very formal affair with many strict rules.
- The investigation into the missing funds became a long and complicated affair that lasted for several years.

### 4. minor military battle

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

a small fight between soldiers that is not big enough to be called a full battle.

For teachers: a military engagement or skirmish of limited scale, typically involving smaller units rather than entire armies.

- The border affair resulted in a few injuries but did not lead to a full-scale war.
- Historians describe the encounter as a minor affair, though it significantly impacted the morale of the local garrison.

## Examples

- The whole situation was a very messy affair.
- The local government's handling of the new park project became a public affair after the budget doubled.
- What began as a minor administrative error soon spiraled into a national affair, involving multiple departments and leading to several high-profile resignations.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.