as in sweetheart
a person with whom one is in love
decided to look up an old flame while she was in town
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to glow
to be on fire especially brightly
guests gathered around as the Yule log flamed brightly in the inn's great stone fireplace
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to erupt
to develop suddenly and violently
my anger flamed when the usher told my friend to shut up
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
4
as in to gleam
to shoot forth bursts of light
the actress's ruby necklace flamed dazzlingly under the bright lights
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of flame
Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025
Roberts gets one of her best roles in years as a beloved Yale philosophy professor caught between Andrew Garfield’s charismatic colleague (and occasional flame) on one side and Ayo Edebiri’s graduate student accusing him of rape on the other.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Sep. 2025
But in a twist, at the end of the first episode, Luke flamed up and flew into the sky, committing suicide by using his powers and exploding.
—Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flame
Noun
About to be married and having never known her father, Sophie invites three of her mom’s former flames – Sam (Victor Wallace), Bill (Newman) and Harry (Rob Marnell) – to her wedding, in hopes of finding her dad.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025
Roberts gets one of her best roles in years as a beloved Yale philosophy professor caught between Andrew Garfield’s charismatic colleague (and occasional flame) on one side and Ayo Edebiri’s graduate student accusing him of rape on the other.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
The La Familia margaritas came out with a flaming sugar cube.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Sep. 2025
But in a twist, at the end of the first episode, Luke flamed up and flew into the sky, committing suicide by using his powers and exploding.
—Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flame
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flame
Noun
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Outside of the band, Criss was married to his childhood sweetheart, Lydia Di Leonardo, from 1970 until 1979.—
Jacqueline Weiss,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
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Think things like chiffon robes, sweetheart cut bodysuits, and lots of feather boas.—
Mae Hamilton,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Marigolds, cascading drapes, and glowing lanterns form a festive canopy of red and gold, blending traditional Indian motifs with the brand’s signature modern aesthetic.—
Mayu Saini,
Footwear News,
18 Oct. 2025
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Staying hydrated with cucumber water may support glowing skin, strong bones, and healthy blood pressure.—
Cristina Mutchler,
Verywell Health,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Cincinnati trailed 10-0 late in the first half but erupted for 20 unanswered points spanning the end of the second quarter into the third before Pittsburgh eventually responded.—
Cole Sullivan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
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Thunderstorms erupting in the South and Midwest to kick off the weekend could turn severe and produce dangerous winds, a few tornadoes and heavy rain.—
Chris Dolce,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Crystal Fire has been burning on private land.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
12 Oct. 2025
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Relax by the wood-burning stove or in the bath that offers superb vistas of the water—all while keeping an eye out for wildlife, including sheep.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Today, the street has been thoroughly modernized, replaced by a gleaming forest of glass towers housing spacious condos with bird’s-eye views and sky-high prices.—
Mark David,
Robb Report,
13 Oct. 2025
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Los Angeles — News of the killings was already spreading as the summer sun began to warm the tennis court behind Jose and Kitty Menendez’s gleaming Beverly Hills mansion on August 21,1989.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Colmar marked its 100th anniversary in 2023 conscripting artist and streetwear darling Joshua Vides for its centennial capsule.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
13 Oct. 2025
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And the fact that Netflix was a darling of Wall Street encouraged the spending boom that has also up-ended Hollywood.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Pickens caught a pass around the 26-yard line and blazed past cornerback Mike Jackson on an awkward angle for the score.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Oct. 2025
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The arrangement essentially blazed a path to a streaming future that had yet to unfold via Netflix, which at the time of the Apple deal was still entirely focused on shipping movie DVDs by mail.—
Andrew Wallenstein,
Variety,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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With sunflower sea stars suddenly all but gone from their home range, sea urchin numbers exploded, and the hungry urchin hordes descended upon kelp forests.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
17 Oct. 2025
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Their offense hasn’t quite exploded like they’d like.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flame. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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