flames 1 of 2

noun

plural of flame
as in darlings
a person with whom one is in love decided to look up an old flame while she was in town

Synonyms & Similar Words

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flames

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of flame
1
as in burns
to be on fire especially brightly guests gathered around as the Yule log flamed brightly in the inn's great stone fireplace

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2
as in erupts
to develop suddenly and violently my anger flamed when the usher told my friend to shut up

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3
as in glows
to shine with a bright harsh light the noonday sun flamed down on the desert travelers

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4
as in gleams
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. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of flames
Noun
No determination of the cause has been made, though several witnesses reported seeing flames and smoke coming from the plane’s far-right engine. — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2026 The Boeing 767-300, operated by 21 Air as Prime Air Flight 7598, overshot the runway and burst into flames on Sunday, killing at least five people and shutting down the airport's runways. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2026 To make matters worse, the high school recreation center where Carver’s body lay became engulfed in flames. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026 Video shows flames pouring out of a boat at the Diversiy Harbor on Sunday. — Asal Rezaei, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026 Some 200 emergency personnel responded, finding the plane with heavy flames and smoke from a complex engine compartment fire, the department said. — ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026 Emergency crews responded to the residential fire and quickly worked to contain the flames. — Denis Akbari, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 Bright flames shot out of an overhead compartment as flight attendants ran down the smoky aisle with fire extinguishers. — Alison J. Stein, HubSpot, 1 Sep. 2026 The vehicle caught on fire after the crash and became engulfed in flames, according to state police. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 31 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flames
  1. darlings
  2. burns
  3. erupts
  4. glows
  5. gleams
  6. sweethearts
  7. blazes
  8. explodes
Noun
  • The vaunted Miami Hurricanes were able to obliterate an undermanned Stanford team out west, and the Michigan State Spartans kicked off the Pat Fitzgerald era in style with a 30-20 win over MAC darlings Toledo on Friday.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The company adds some 30 to 60 movies to its catalog annually, most of them lost gems of world cinema, festival-circuit darlings, or old Hollywood hits.
    — Sophia Nguyen, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of darlings
Verb
  • Some fitness enthusiasts swear that working out on an empty stomach burns more fat, while others insist that eating beforehand is essential for maximizing energy and performance.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The living room in this one is a real standout and includes a window seat with integrated storage, along with one of those fancy hanging fireplaces that burns bioethanol.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of burns
Verb
  • Gunfire erupts following victory celebration Prosecutors have alleged that an argument between two groups escalated into gunfire in the crowded celebration.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Social media erupts over cancellation, pleads to Mamdani Since the cancellation was announced, social media was inundated with posts in support of the show, with some even reaching out to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to intervene and save it.
    — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of erupts
Verb
  • At night, the feathers light up and the whole bird glows across the playa.
    — Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • In New York City, Pete Davidson films his new movie Tommy Karate with a new look, while Savannah Guthrie glows in florals for Roger Federer’s exhibition match at the US Open.
    — Alex Apatoff, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of glows
Verb
  • Like Beckham’s dress, the 100-percent silk dress softly gleams in the light.
    — Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025
  • Despite a couple of funky skips, the album is fueled by the hunger of an artist who really wants the pop life again, perking up electro-scuzz and arena rock with new wave that gleams like glitter.
    — Pitchfork, Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2025
Definition of gleams
Noun
  • In reality, Bourdain and Nancy Putkoski were high-school sweethearts long before the events of the movie.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The former couple were high school sweethearts and wed in May 2001.
    — Ariana Quihuiz, PEOPLE, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of sweethearts
Verb
  • As the flames approached the community in July, the majority of the village’s 3,500 residents were forced to flee their homes, as hundreds of firefighters were deployed to tackle blazes more violent and unpredictable than in previous years.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Calmer winds and cooler temperatures assisted fire crews in their battle against the Spokane blazes Monday, but temperature are anticipated to climb back into the 90s by Wednesday and continue to push firefighters to their limits.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of blazes
Verb
  • Directed by Venice prize-winner John Swab, Copperhead‘s plot is thrust into motion when an undercover drug deal explodes into violence.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026
  • That explodes into action in one startlingly seedy scene involving a rape in full view of revelers at a hotel party.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of explodes

Phrases Containing flames

Browse Nearby Words

flamers
flames
flames out
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Cite this Entry

“Flames.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flames. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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