flame

verb

flamed; flaming

intransitive verb

1

: to burn with a flame : blaze

—often used with up

Grease left heating in the pan flamed up suddenly.

2

a

: to burst or break out violently or passionately

flaming with indignation

b

: to send an angry, hostile, or abusive electronic message

3

: to shine brightly : glow

color flaming up in her cheeks

transitive verb

1

: to send or convey by means of flame

flame a message by signal fires

2

: to treat or affect with flame: such as

a

: to sear, sterilize, or destroy by fire

b

: flambé

3

: to send an angry, hostile, or abusive electronic message to or about

What would Emily Post advise me to do? Flame the … scumbag right back?

—John Seabrook

flamer noun

Synonyms of flame

• glow
• burn
• blaze

Examples of flame in a Sentence

A fire flamed in the oven.

The sun flamed through the clouds.

color flaming in her cheeks

Recent Examples on the Web

In 1971, the Jewish residents of Forest Hills violently protested the development of a public-housing project in their neighborhood with rocks and flaming torches. —Kevin Lozano, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026

On the other side of the card Eva had drawn it in a tracksuit and lime-green running shoes holding a flaming torch in the 2024 Paris Olympics. —Literary Hub, 1 June 2026

Golden-hour yellow blends seamlessly with a swirl of flaming orange, hot pink, and peach. —Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 1 June 2026

The restaurant doesn’t let meat lovers suffer, offering a 24-ounce Tomahawk and a flaming filet flaming courtesy of tequila. —Connie Ogle may 31, Miami Herald, 31 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing flame

• eternal flame
• flame cell
• flame out
• flame photometer
• flame-retardant
• flame stitch
• flame tree
• pre-flame

Rhymes for flame

• aim
• blame
• brame
• came
• claim
• dame
• fame
• frame
• game
• haim
• lame
• maim

Kids Definition

flame

1 of 2 noun

ˈflām 

1

: the glowing gas that makes up part of a fire

2

: a state of burning brightly

the car burst into flame

a building in flames

3

: a condition or appearance suggesting a flame

4

: the person one is in love with : sweetheart

an old flame

5

: a hostile or rude electronic message

sent me a flame by email

flame

2 of 2 verb

flamed; flaming

1

: to burn with a flame : blaze

2

: to burst or break out violently

flaming with anger

3

: to shine brightly

4

: to treat or affect by flame or fire

especially : to sterilize by a flame

5

: to send a hostile or rude electronic message to or about

Medical Definition

flame

transitive verb

ˈflām 

flamed; flaming

: to cleanse or sterilize by fire