flare-up

noun

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
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.
Despite the flare-up, Wedbush technology analyst Dan Ives expects the conflict between Musk and Mr. Trump to die down moving forward. Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 1 July 2025 Iran Offer The flare-up between India and Pakistan has been overshadowed globally by the war between Israel and Iran, with the United States also joining strikes against Tehran's nuclear program. Jennifer Cunningham, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025 Meanwhile, aerospace names continue to benefit from the India-Pakistan flare-up. Brendan Ahern, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025 Bryon Greenwald, a professor at National Defense University in Washington, D.C., questioned whether the attacks between Iran and Israel amounted to a war at all, or just a flare-up of a long-simmering conflict the countries have engaged in for decades. Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for flare-up

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of flare-up was in 1839

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flare-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flare-up. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

flare-up

noun
ˈfla(ə)r-ˌəp,
ˈfle(ə)r-
: a sudden burst (as of flame or anger)

Medical Definition

flare-up

noun
: a sudden appearance or worsening of the symptoms of a disease or condition
an asthmatic flare-up
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!