1
: a sudden outburst or intensification
a flare-up of hostilities
2
: a sudden bursting (as of a smoldering fire) into flame or light
a danger of flare-ups
3
: a sudden appearance or worsening of the symptoms of a disease or condition
an asthmatic flare-up
Examples of flare-up in a Sentence
took medication to prevent a flare-up of her asthma
there's no need for an angry flare-up, as we'll take care of the problem immediately
Recent Examples on the Web
Efforts to end the Iran war, now in its third month, appeared stalled amid new flare-ups in fighting in the Gulf.
—
Guy Faulconbridge, USA Today, 9 May 2026
The incidents came after Kylian Mbappe was involved in an angry flare-up with a member of Madrid staff last month, and Antonio Rudiger apologised for his involvement in a heated argument with a team-mate.
—Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 9 May 2026
Without regular cleaning, a cooking flare-up on the stovetop can ignite the grease sitting just above it, turning a small kitchen accident into a serious one.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 8 May 2026
During Coulier's six-month checkup and PET scans after his first diagnosis, doctors discovered a flare-up had returned as an enlarged tumor.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for flare-up
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Guy Faulconbridge, USA Today, 9 May 2026
The incidents came after Kylian Mbappe was involved in an angry flare-up with a member of Madrid staff last month, and Antonio Rudiger apologised for his involvement in a heated argument with a team-mate.
—Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 9 May 2026
Without regular cleaning, a cooking flare-up on the stovetop can ignite the grease sitting just above it, turning a small kitchen accident into a serious one.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 8 May 2026
During Coulier's six-month checkup and PET scans after his first diagnosis, doctors discovered a flare-up had returned as an enlarged tumor.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for flare-up
Cite this Entry
“Flare-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flare-up. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
flare-up
noun
: a sudden appearance or worsening of the symptoms of a disease or condition
an asthmatic flare-up
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