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
Relevance
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
2
as in erupts
to develop suddenly and violently
my anger flamed when the usher told my friend to shut up
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in glows
to shine with a bright harsh light
the noonday sun flamed down on the desert travelers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Recent Examples of flames
Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
This situation fans the flames of social stress in this country.
—Robert Hormats, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
After heat and fires, thunder and lightning In early April, Santa Ana winds fanned the flames of local wildfires.
—Jasmine Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Four people were killed in Haifa on Sunday after an Iranian missile struck a six-floor residential building, which was engulfed in flames.
—Npr Staff, NPR, 6 Apr. 2026
That these glassblowers did the impossible work of trying to get the styles and stigma right, shaping the glass in these little blue flames.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Deputies say a car crashed into a tree and went up in flames.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Witness footage from inside the cabin showed sparks and flames trailing from beneath the wing as the jet climbed out.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
Video showed flames on a large refinery tank with thick black smoke that was quickly extinguished.
—Charlene Gubash, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
In June, First Baptist Dallas will break ground on a new sanctuary to replace the historic walls scattered to ashes by flames in July 2024.
—Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
This situation fans the flames of social stress in this country.
—Robert Hormats, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
After heat and fires, thunder and lightning In early April, Santa Ana winds fanned the flames of local wildfires.
—Jasmine Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Four people were killed in Haifa on Sunday after an Iranian missile struck a six-floor residential building, which was engulfed in flames.
—Npr Staff, NPR, 6 Apr. 2026
That these glassblowers did the impossible work of trying to get the styles and stigma right, shaping the glass in these little blue flames.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Deputies say a car crashed into a tree and went up in flames.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Witness footage from inside the cabin showed sparks and flames trailing from beneath the wing as the jet climbed out.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
Video showed flames on a large refinery tank with thick black smoke that was quickly extinguished.
—Charlene Gubash, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flames
Noun
-
After delivering back-to-back Cannes darlings with the Camera d’Or winner Girl (2018) and Grand Prix-winning Close (2022), Dhont is returning to Cannes with his third feature and his first period piece.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Sporting got a scare from tournament darlings Bodo/Glimt in their round of 16 matchup, losing 3-0 in Norway but coming back with a clear 5-0 win in their home game in Portugal.—
Pueng Vongs,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Although other correction burns like that had been planned for other days, Henfling said this was the first time one was actually necessary since the astronauts left Earth's orbit.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Once all teams give the go-ahead, Integrity will continue along its route, with the help of a few trajectory correction burns along the way to keep the spacecraft precisely on course for splashdown.—
Briana Alvarado,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Guardians must protect the Legendary Silver Crystal when a battle erupts with a mysterious enemy during the Celestial Ball and plunges the Moon Palace into chaos.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Controversy erupts at Yale as damning letter from legendary coach leaks.—
,
FOXNews.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Jemima Kirke glows in a rich green ensemble at a special screening of The Drama in New York City on April 2.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Hundreds of monarch butterflies are painted across the translucent panels, and when sunlight shines through, the structure glows in rich amber tones.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
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
Noun
-
Nedoroscik and McCracken became college sweethearts after meeting at Penn State University in 2017.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The two were high school sweethearts, Fields said.—
Emma Seiwell,
New York Daily News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Once Orion blazes through Earth's atmosphere, a protective heat shield will be cast off to make way for parachutes to deploy and slow the vehicle down.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Low toward the west blazes Venus, which serves as a convenient celestial landmark to make a sighting of Mercury, which will be hovering not far from it.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Vann instantly explodes, then runs off into the distance, making it across the street before collapsing to the ground where a resident tried to help him with damp towels.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
There’s an intimacy to it in the verses, and then there’s a big dynamic jump, an octave jump between the verse and the chorus, which just explodes into this hopeful, optimistic thing.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flames.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flames. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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