Illicit love affairs refer to any romantic relationships that take place outside the bounds of societal norms or personal ethics. The term encompasses all manner of covert and often immoral romantic liaisons. Some synonyms for the phrase "illicit love affair" include extramarital affair, clandestine relationship, forbidden romance, secret tryst, and illicit liaison. People often use these euphemisms to disguise the true nature of their relationships or to try to mitigate the societal shame that often comes with such affairs. Regardless of the terminology used to describe them, illicit love affairs can have devastating impacts on all parties involved and are best avoided.