flare 1 of 2

noun

ˈfler How to pronounce flare (audio)
Definition of flarenext
1
as in flurry
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity a flare in gift card sales around graduation time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in burst
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling ended the quarrel with a stunning flare of swearwords

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in glow
the steady giving off of the form of radiation that makes vision possible in the darkness the flare of a single match might be seen by enemy troops

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

flare

2 of 2

verb

as in to glow
to shine with a bright harsh light floodlights flaring into the forbidding empty spaces surrounding the prison

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of flare
Noun
Traffic ground to a halt along the Corniche Boulevard, one of the city’s main avenues, where ecstatic Atlas Lions supporters danced, set off fireworks and waved flares. — Kristie Rieken, Chicago Tribune, 4 July 2026 But this hasn’t stopped multicultural Montrealers from supporting their teams publicly, including Moroccan fans taking to the streets and throwing flares after a victory. — Shelby Blackley, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Verb
Emergency services were sifting through the rubble of what used to be a nine-story building on the left bank of the Dnipro River that bisects the city as the sun rose and fires flared up around it. — Gleb Garanich, USA Today, 2 July 2026 Getting your hands dirty with charcoal, tweaking vents and chimneys to stop chunks of oak from flaring up and destroying your brisket, exerting your will over the heat inside a big metal box; barbecue takes a lot of practice. — Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for flare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flare
  1. flurry
  2. burst
  3. glow
  4. burn
  5. outburst
  6. explosion
  7. glare
  8. flame
Noun
  • June was a frenetic month for the metro Atlanta restaurant scene, driven in part by a flurry of downtown openings timed to the beginning of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
    — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 1 July 2026
  • Trump took in tens of millions of dollars in fees from a flurry of new hotel, resort and condo deals overseas that amounts to the biggest property expansion ever in the century since the family business was founded.
    — Bernard Condon, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of flurry
Noun
  • Jennifer Storms, chief marketing officer for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, said her team has carefully planned the timing of the spots to coincide with the burst of patriotism and celebration around America 250 events.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 3 July 2026
  • Used on the plate (rather than during cooking), finishing salt adds crunch, elegance and a burst of salinity.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • From date night sightings and courtside appearances to red carpets, this era has brought a noticeable glow to her style.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 3 July 2026
  • There are books and wine bottles as decor on the ledges, and a glow of warm lighting.
    — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 2 July 2026
Definition of glow
Verb
  • According to Smith, citizens of East Florida even burned the leaders behind the Declaration of Independence in effigy.
    — Hank Tester, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • For decades, oceans have acted as the planet’s main heat sink, absorbing 90% of the excess heat produced by humans burning fossil fuels.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 1 July 2026
Definition of burn
Noun
  • The pitcher and batter didn’t acknowledge the outburst, although Wrobleski’s pitch ended up in the dirt for a full count.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • Fresh off a 22-run outburst Friday, the question became what would the Sox do for an encore Saturday.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026
Definition of outburst
Noun
  • Tuesday night's explosion from Contreras had actually been 24 hours in the making.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • Authorities in the wealthy city-state of Monaco have launched a manhunt that’s stretched across the border into France after several people were wounded in an explosion caused by a bomb that was planted in a residential building.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
Definition of explosion
Noun
  • Harry and Meghan attended the queen's funeral, under the glare of the ever watchful British tabloids.
    — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 6 July 2026
  • Mercury and Jupiter are now swinging behind the sun and are lost in the bright solar glare.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of glare
Verb
  • The clip ultimately evolved into a lo-fi vision of the Rapture, complete with giant flaming hands terrorizing the band.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 30 June 2026
  • True insanity seldom results from a huge, flaming blowout when driving.
    — Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 24 June 2026
Definition of flame

Phrases Containing flare

Browse Nearby Words

flaps
flare
flared
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flare. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on flare

Nglish: Translation of flare for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flare

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All