# fling

/ˈfɫɪŋ/ (US) · /flˈɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fling
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to throw forcefully

verb · CEFR B2

to throw something suddenly and with a lot of force.

For teachers: to hurl or cast something with sudden force or violence. Transitive, requiring a direct object.

- In a fit of anger, he flung his phone across the room.
- The protesters flung stones at the barricades, though their efforts did little to breach the reinforced steel gates.

### 2. to move abruptly

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to move yourself or a part of your body quickly and suddenly.

For teachers: to move oneself or a limb in an abrupt, forceful, or impatient manner. Often used reflexively or with a prepositional phrase.

- She flung herself onto the bed and started to cry.
- Disgusted by the verdict, the defendant flung himself out of the courtroom before the guards could intervene.

### 3. short romance

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a short sexual or romantic relationship that is not intended to be serious.

For teachers: a brief, casual romantic or sexual relationship, typically characterized by a lack of long-term commitment.

- It was just a summer fling, and they stopped talking once college started.
- She dismissed the encounter as a harmless holiday fling, refusing to let it complicate her professional life back home.

### 5. an attempt

noun · CEFR C2 · Informal

a try at doing something, even if you are not sure you will succeed.

For teachers: an attempt or trial at an activity, often used in the phrase 'have a fling at'.

- Even though she had no experience, she decided to have a fling at acting.
- After years in finance, he decided to have a fling at organic farming, despite his lack of agricultural knowledge.

## Examples

- They had a brief summer fling before she moved away.
- What started as a casual holiday fling eventually turned into a serious long-distance relationship.
- The novel explores the emotional fallout of a reckless fling, contrasting the protagonist's desire for spontaneity with her underlying need for stability.

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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.