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
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
Both can result in waves of symptoms, typically called flares or flare-ups, involving diarrhea, stomach pain, fatigue, and weight loss.
—
Sarah Klein, TIME, 20 Sep. 2024
The chance of relapses and flare-ups are also high in the postpartum period.
—Kavitha Surana, ProPublica, 18 Sep. 2024
The two sides have long been adversaries, though the flare-up in tension began in the aftermath of Hamas’s Oct. 7 terrorist attack.
—Mike Brest, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 17 Sep. 2024
Ground crews will stay on scene watching for any flare-ups as high winds and thunderstorms move into the area.
—Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for flare-up 
Sarah Klein, TIME, 20 Sep. 2024
The chance of relapses and flare-ups are also high in the postpartum period.
—Kavitha Surana, ProPublica, 18 Sep. 2024
The two sides have long been adversaries, though the flare-up in tension began in the aftermath of Hamas’s Oct. 7 terrorist attack.
—Mike Brest, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 17 Sep. 2024
Ground crews will stay on scene watching for any flare-ups as high winds and thunderstorms move into the area.
—Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for flare-up
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 3 Oct. 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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