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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of flames
David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
Wildfires often create dangerous smoke long before flames are nearby.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 11 May 2026
Fire crews from the Florida Forest Services, Broward Fire Rescue, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, and Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue are working to suppress the flames, which have sent smoke and ash drifting into parts of Weston and Pembroke Pines.
—Megan Vaz, Sun Sentinel, 11 May 2026
Two active wildfires burning in Broward and Miami-Dade counties are reducing air quality and visibility across parts of South Florida Monday as firefighters continue working to contain the flames, according to the Florida Forest Service and other state and local agencies.
—Sergio Candido, CBS News, 11 May 2026
Lane Kiffin continues to fan the flames surrounding his departure from Ole Miss for LSU.
—Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
Crews arrived to find flames on the exterior of the building that had spread into a classroom, Nunez said.
—Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 11 May 2026
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
Noun
Firefighters from several departments, including Miami-Dade and Broward, as well as the Florida Forest Service, battled the flames.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
Wildfires often create dangerous smoke long before flames are nearby.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 11 May 2026
Fire crews from the Florida Forest Services, Broward Fire Rescue, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, and Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue are working to suppress the flames, which have sent smoke and ash drifting into parts of Weston and Pembroke Pines.
—Megan Vaz, Sun Sentinel, 11 May 2026
Two active wildfires burning in Broward and Miami-Dade counties are reducing air quality and visibility across parts of South Florida Monday as firefighters continue working to contain the flames, according to the Florida Forest Service and other state and local agencies.
—Sergio Candido, CBS News, 11 May 2026
Lane Kiffin continues to fan the flames surrounding his departure from Ole Miss for LSU.
—Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
Crews arrived to find flames on the exterior of the building that had spread into a classroom, Nunez said.
—Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 11 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flames
Noun
-
My beautiful girls, my darlings, who are suddenly women.—
Jack Irvin,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
-
Atop the bill is powerhouse singer-songwriter/indie artist Thao, the eponymous title of Thao Nguyen, centerpiece of indie darlings Thao & the Get Down Stay Down.—
Aaron Davis,
Sacbee.com,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The sun burns outside the window.—
Erin Entrada Kelly,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
-
Now, Kiffin just took the can of gasoline and threw it right into the fire that still burns stemming from his departure for Baton Rouge.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
As the village erupts into full-scale panic, the emergency evolves into a darker mystery, forcing the cop to confront a seemingly impossible reality.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
-
As a cop tries the door to the basement with keys given to him by the suspect’s estranged wife, an explosion erupts.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Below, sits Altair, while Deneb glows to the left, representing the tail of the great swan in the constellation Cygnus.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
11 May 2026
-
It can be used as a nightlight, glows in seven colors and features a selection of soothing soundscapes.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
8 May 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
-
Al-Shurman and his wife Nadeen were high school sweethearts at Western, Ali Al-Shurman said.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
14 May 2026
-
The Mooneys were high school sweethearts and have been married for 62 years.—
John Lauritsen,
CBS News,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
Officials are spreading the word in the wake of deadly fires within the last month that killed five people in Manhattan and the Bronx, blazes that could have been more easily contained if doors were used to help snuff out the flames.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
8 May 2026
-
Studies have shown that rising temperatures due to climate change are fueling longer wildfire seasons, and making blazes both more frequent and more destructive.—
Kathryn Prociv,
NBC news,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Every note just explodes off the instrument.—
Charlie Harding,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
-
After 10 years of dormancy, the desert explodes with color, attracting visitors and pollinators alike.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flames.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flames. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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