Collocations for "affair"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "affair" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
affair
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.n
- [student, hospital, business, family] affairs
- a [village, town, public] affair
- was an [elegant, intimate] affair
- internal affairs [office, investigation]
- stay out of the affairs of others
- [butted, nosed] into his private affairs
- are having a love affair
- is having an affair with her [co-worker, boss, friend]
- had an alleged affair with him
- ended her affair (with him)
- decided to end the affair
- [got, was] caught in an affair
- involved in a [complicated, secret, dangerous] affair
- the [situation, deal] is a complex affair
- the whole affair was [rigged, a joke] (if you ask me)
- well that was an affair to remember
- don't [tell me, talk to me] about your sordid affairs!
- [present, host] a show about current affairs
- a current affairs [show, quiz]
'affair' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
another
- bad-tempered
- black
- bloody
- dagger
- domestic
- edgy
- family
- fiery
- foul
- handling
- intense
- intimate
- lesbian
- lid
- love
- national
- night
- oblivious
- on
- passionate
- politic
- private
- rebound
- secretary
- sister
- soil
- spicy
- stain
- stormy
- surround
- sweep
- tainted
- tame
- tangled
- tense
- veil
- whirlwind
- whisper