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
Synonyms
Examples of flare-up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The current flare-up of tensions appears to be dredging up dirty laundry going back several years at least.
—
Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2024
Early on in the flare-up, the group shared a rich and earthy-tasting homemade coq au vin.
—Andrew Chapman, Longreads, 18 Apr. 2024
Past revolutions have shown that minor flare-ups of public dissent can spread quickly into a conflagration.
—Simon Shuster / Vilnius, TIME, 17 Apr. 2024
However, some products can cause breakouts and acne flare-ups that lead to scarring.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 16 Apr. 2024
There have been flare-ups, including a chemical attack on pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University in New York in January.
—Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
The latest flare-up of tensions has again raised questions over how much leverage China wields over Iran – and whether Beijing is willing to turn its political capital into influence.
—Nectar Gan, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024
Because hormones play a role (that’s why the condition typically makes its debut after puberty and about half of people get their first symptoms between the ages of 10 and 21), your teen may experience monthly flare-ups before their period when hormone levels are fluctuating.
—Ade Onibada, SELF, 12 Apr. 2024
Most people aren’t bothered by it, but a few have quit after flare-ups with him.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2024
Early on in the flare-up, the group shared a rich and earthy-tasting homemade coq au vin.
—Andrew Chapman, Longreads, 18 Apr. 2024
Past revolutions have shown that minor flare-ups of public dissent can spread quickly into a conflagration.
—Simon Shuster / Vilnius, TIME, 17 Apr. 2024
However, some products can cause breakouts and acne flare-ups that lead to scarring.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 16 Apr. 2024
There have been flare-ups, including a chemical attack on pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University in New York in January.
—Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
The latest flare-up of tensions has again raised questions over how much leverage China wields over Iran – and whether Beijing is willing to turn its political capital into influence.
—Nectar Gan, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024
Because hormones play a role (that’s why the condition typically makes its debut after puberty and about half of people get their first symptoms between the ages of 10 and 21), your teen may experience monthly flare-ups before their period when hormone levels are fluctuating.
—Ade Onibada, SELF, 12 Apr. 2024
Most people aren’t bothered by it, but a few have quit after flare-ups with him.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flare-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Flare-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flare-up. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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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