Synonyms of flames

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

• darlings
• sweethearts
• lovers
• sweeties
• sweets
• dears
• loves
• girlfriends
• beloveds
• boyfriends
• wives
• girls
• honeys
• boys
• husbands
• trueloves
• sweetie pies
• hons
• mistresses
• squeezes
• pets
• brides
• tootsies
• amours
• admirers
• swains
• gals
• paramours
• dolls
• beaux
• grooms
• lasses
• ducks
• men
• fellows
• inamoratas
• escorts
• suitors
• ladyloves
• wooers
• dates
• gallants
• significant others
• crushes
• steadies
• fiancés
• heartthrobs
• intendeds

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• burns
• glows
• blazes
• fires
• combusts
• flickers
• gleams
• smolders
• shines
• ignites
• goes up in flames
• kindles
• sparks
• melts
• scorches
• lights (up)
• cooks
• beams
• chars
• bakes
• roasts
• flares (up)
• wavers
• sparkles
• flashes
• enkindles
• sputters
• beats (down)
• deflagrates
• broils
• radiates
• catches
• glares
• glints
• glitters
• shimmers
• brightens
• glistens
• glimmers
• gutters
• swelters
• twinkles
• scintillates

2

as in erupts

to develop suddenly and violently

my anger flamed when the usher told my friend to shut up

Synonyms & Similar Words

• erupts
• explodes
• breaks out
• bursts (forth)
• blazes (up)
• flares (up)
• swells
• mushrooms
• rockets
• mounts
• snowballs
• proliferates
• waxes
• detonates
• skyrockets
• touches off
• multiplies
• balloons
• burgeons
• blows up

3

as in glows

to shine with a bright harsh light

the noonday sun flamed down on the desert travelers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• burns
• glows
• blazes
• glares
• flares
• gleams
• flashes
• beams
• glances
• beats
• sparkles
• radiates
• glints
• glistens
• glitters
• shimmers
• twinkles
• glimmers
• blinds
• dazzles
• scintillates
• glisters
• dazes
• bedazzles

4

as in gleams

to shoot forth bursts of light

the actress's ruby necklace flamed dazzlingly under the bright lights

Synonyms & Similar Words

• gleams
• flashes
• glints
• sparkles
• shimmers
• shines
• glitters
• twinkles
• glistens
• glows
• glances
• glimmers
• winks
• lusters
• spangles
• beams
• coruscates
• scintillates
• glisters
• flares
• winkles
• radiates
• blazes
• blinds
• burns
• dazzles
• glares
• dazes
• bedazzles

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of flames

Noun

Fire officials said that open doors near a central staircase allowed the flames to intensify and shoot upstairs to other apartments. —Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 5 May 2026

Jefferson’s vision of American flames igniting the planet lands differently now. —Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 May 2026

In highly populated areas, people tend to spot and call in fires pretty quickly, and the tech is not so useful when extreme weather events, such as hurricane-force winds, intensify and rapidly shift the flames, as happened in Los Angeles last year. —Dorany Pineda, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026

Video showed flames seen in the distance as fire trucks rushed to the scene. —CBS News, 4 May 2026

Neighbors near the crash site described hearing a loud explosion and seeing flames shoot up from the wreckage. —Eric MacK, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026

Record-breaking drought in the Southeast continues to fuel flames in both states, and the fires are emitting enough smoke to keep air quality conditions poor across the area. —Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026

Videos of the crash site shared on social media showed the remains of the aircraft in flames. —ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026

Catastrophic wildfires are not new for Chile, but this year’s stand out for how fast the flames spread, devouring an average of nearly 25 acres every minute. —Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2026

Phrases Containing flames

• go up in flames