flashed; flashing; flashes
1
a
: to give off light suddenly or in quick bursts
cameras flashing
Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed.
b
: to glow or gleam especially with animation or passion
Her eyes flashed with anger.
2
: to break forth in or like a sudden flame or flare
A metallic ray of light flashed out from the summit …—
Jack London
Jack London3
a
: to appear suddenly
a message flashed on the screen
An idea flashed through my mind [=I suddenly had an idea]
b
: to move with great speed
the days flash by
a car flashed by.
… the red roads began to flash past …—Lucy Maud Montgomery
Lucy Maud Montgomery4
a
: to break forth or out so as to make a sudden display
He smiled, his white teeth flashing at me.
b
: to act or speak vehemently and suddenly especially in anger
5
: to have sudden insight
—often used with on
6
of a liquid
: to change suddenly or violently into vapor
7
: to expose one's breasts or genitals usually suddenly and briefly in public
1
a
: to cause the sudden appearance of (light)
They flashed the car's headlights at us.
b
: to cause to burst violently into flame
c(1)
: to cause (light) to reflect
(2)
: to cause (something) to reflect light
flash a mirror
(3)
: to cause (a lamp) to flash
d
: to convey by means of flashes of light
flashed an SOS
2
a
: to make known or cause to appear with great speed
flash a message on the screen
b
: to display obtrusively and ostentatiously
always flashing a roll of bills
c
: to expose to view usually suddenly and briefly
flashed a badge
… she flashed me a grateful look.—Donna Tartt
Donna Tartt3
: to cover with or form into a thin layer: such as
a
: to protect against rain by covering with sheet metal or a substitute
b
: to coat (glass) with a thin layer (as of metal or a differently colored glass)
4
: to subject (an exposed photographic negative or positive) to a supplementary uniform exposure to light before development in order to modify detail or tone
5
: to expose one's breasts or genitals usually suddenly and briefly to
flashed the audience
6
a
archaic
: splash
b
: to fill by a sudden inflow of water
1
a
: a sudden burst of light
a flash of lightning
b
: a movement of a flag in signaling
2
: a sudden and often brilliant burst
a flash of inspiration/insight/wit
3
: a brief time
I made up my mind in a flash.
The server brought our food quick as a flash/in the flash of an eye. [= in a very short time]
4
b
archaic
: a showy ostentatious person
c
: one that attracts notice
especially
: an outstanding athlete
d
: pizzazz
The storylines … and sound effects are very much gee-whiz bang comic book flash.—Charles de Lint
Charles de Lint5
obsolete
: thieves' slang
6
: something flashed: such as
b
: smile
c
: a first brief news report
e
: a quick-spreading flame or momentary intense outburst of radiant heat
f(1)
(2)
: a device for producing a flashlight for taking photographs
7
8
: the rapid conversion of a liquid into vapor
1
2
: of sudden origin and short duration
a flash fire
3
: having or using a solid-state data storage technology that retains data even without a connection to a power source
flash memory
: by very brief exposure to an intense altering agent (such as heat or cold)
flash fry
flash freeze
Did you know?
The origin of the word flash is uncertain, although it rhymes with a number of other verbs that also mean forceful, often violent movement that may come to a quick end: dash, lash, crash, slash, clash, gash, bash, splash, smash. These words turn up in English over a fairly long period of time, from dash— the only word in the group with a likely foreign source—in the 14th century, to smash in the 18th century. The element -ash has thus provided a kind of model for new words. The initial fl – that is added to -ash to make flash is also heard in words meaning quick movement, as flee, fly, flicker, and flutter.
Examples of flash in a Sentence
Verb
Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed.
Cameras flashed as the celebrities passed.
A car was sitting on the side of the road with its lights flashing.
A message flashed on the screen.
The screen flashed a message in black letters.
Her eyes flashed with anger.
Noun
A brilliant flash lit up the sky.
The idea for the movie came to her in a flash of inspiration.
They relied on gimmicks and flash to get people's attention.
a show with a lot of flash but little substance
Adjective
flash floods in the local area
Recent Examples on the Web
Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Euless Trinity flashed a new offensive wrinkle that will certainly draw attention from upcoming playoff opponents.
—Mike Waters, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Nov. 2025
Miami Herald Hurricane Bot, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
In one image, a flash appears in a mirror as a strange orb, reminding the viewer of the photographer’s presence.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 13 Oct. 2025
What To Know A map shared by the NWS on Facebook showed a broad corridor of flash-flood risk spanning the Western states and Southern Plains.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flash
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
There were gaps and cracks at the metal flashing joints throughout the cook lines.
—Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Euless Trinity flashed a new offensive wrinkle that will certainly draw attention from upcoming playoff opponents.
—Mike Waters, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
Catastrophic flash flooding and landslides are expected across southwestern Haiti and portions of Jamaica, with the possibility of catastrophic flood impacts also extending across the remainder of southern Haiti into southern Dominican Republic.
—Miami Herald Hurricane Bot, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
In one image, a flash appears in a mirror as a strange orb, reminding the viewer of the photographer’s presence.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
And many supermarkets offer bags of flash-frozen cranberries year-round.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 13 Oct. 2025
What To Know A map shared by the NWS on Facebook showed a broad corridor of flash-flood risk spanning the Western states and Southern Plains.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flash
Cite this Entry
“Flash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flash. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
flash
1 of 3 verb1
: to shine in or like a sudden flame
lightning flashed
her eyes flashed with excitement
2
: to send out in or as if in flashes
flash a message
3
: to appear or pass very suddenly
a car flashed by
4
: to gleam or glow in sudden bursts
5
: to expose to view usually briefly
flash a badge
flash
2 of 3 noun1
a
: a sudden burst of light, flame, or heat
b
: a movement of a flag or light in signaling
2
: a sudden and brilliant burst
a flash of wit
3
: a brief time
4
: one that attracts notice
especially
: an outstanding athlete
5
: a device for producing a brief and very bright flash of light for taking photographs
flash
3 of 3 adjective1
: beginning suddenly and lasting only a short time
a flash fire
2
: having or using a solid-state data storage technology that retains data even without a connection to a power source
Etymology
Verb
Middle English flaschen
Word Origin
The origin of the word flash is uncertain, though it rhymes with a number of other verbs that also mean forceful, often violent movement that may come to a quick end: dash, lash, crash, slash, clash, gash, bash, splash, smash. These words turn up in English over a fairly long period of time, from dash—the only word in the group with a likely foreign source—in the 14th century to smash in the 18th century. The element -ash has thus provided a kind of model for new words. The initial fl- that is added to -ash to make flash is also heard in words meaning quick movement, as flee, fly, flicker, and flutter.
Medical Definition
flash
noun
: rush sense 2 compare hot flash
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