flare (up) 1 of 2

verb

Definition of flare (up)next
1
as in to anger
to become very angry naturally I flared up when he insulted me

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to erupt
to develop suddenly and violently my allergies always flare up in the spring

Synonyms & Similar Words

flare-up

2 of 2

noun

ˈfler-ˌəp How to pronounce flare-up (audio)
1
as in flurry
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity took medication to prevent a flare-up of her asthma

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling there's no need for an angry flare-up, as we'll take care of the problem immediately

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 (up)
Noun
Smoke from fireworks can worsen symptoms and cause flare-ups in those who have asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026 Calls are frantically made to multiple team doctors to conjure up the best plan in case of another flare-up, and The Athletic leans out of the team car to pass Ayuso ice to apply to the affected area. — Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 29 June 2026 The United States and Iran late Sunday pulled back from their escalating attacks over the Strait of Hormuz, a flare-up that had tested a fragile ceasefire and called into question both sides’ desire to avoid a full return to battle. — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 29 June 2026 The popular China internet fund, the KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (KWEB), is down more than 40% from its record in October amid ongoing concerns over AI valuations and trade ware flare-ups. — Oliver Renick, CNBC, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for flare (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flare (up)
  1. anger
  2. erupt
  3. flurry
  4. explosion
  5. snarl
  6. explode
  7. burst
  8. outburst
Verb
  • The mayor floated the idea to place Williams on probation for six months, angering the city manager’s supporters in the crowd.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
  • All the spending on the national events angers one supervisor at a Florida airport.
    — Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
Definition of anger
Verb
  • Spontaneous applause erupted — and even some tears were shed — at the battered parking structure where Gil had been entombed since the two temblors struck within seconds of each other on June 24.
    — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • Anyone who thinks that the differences between these sects are minor is invited to read about the wars, massacres and persecutions that erupted between them in the 16th and 17th centuries.
    — Kenneth Seeskin, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Definition of erupt
Noun
  • Salaün pointed to locking in on defense as part of what unlocked her late flurry.
    — Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 9 July 2026
  • Amid its six-shot flurry in the initial 10 minutes, Belgium created one golden chance that was a near miss.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026
Definition of flurry
Noun
  • Iranian state media reported explosions in several locations, including in Bandar Mahshahr, where a Guard member was killed.
    — Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • In addition, the tritium is far safer compared to historical alternatives because beta particles cannot penetrate human skin, and the gas is securely stored in the form of a solid metal hydride foil, eliminating the danger of leakage or explosion.
    — David Szondy July 07, New Atlas, 8 July 2026
Definition of explosion
Verb
  • Lane closures remained in effect, snarling traffic for several miles as rush hour intensified.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • The incident shut down the busy interstate for hours, snarling traffic during teh evening commute.
    — Riley Rourke, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Definition of snarl
Verb
  • With no natural predators and the ability to breed year-round, their populations have exploded over the decades.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
  • In early January 2025, weeks after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was gunned down on the streets of New York City, a monstrous wildfire exploded in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.
    — Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 5 July 2026
Definition of explode
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
  • 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

Browse Nearby Words

flares (up)
flare (up)
flare-up
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flare (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flare%20%28up%29. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tacit

See Definitions and Examples »

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’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
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