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
show current usage.
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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
-
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
-
The casting of two darlings of early 2000s indie cinema — Paul Giamatti as Adams and Laura Linney as First Lady Abigail Adams — was inspired.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
24 Apr. 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 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
-
Antisemitism controversy erupts at elite NY high school after Israel flyer found in urinal.—
,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On the western horizon, Venus glows brightly at sunset, while Jupiter hangs just above it.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
1 May 2026
-
Even if other tracks on BASS2 don’t quite rise to the same level, the record glows with new confidence.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
24 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
-
The former Corona del Mar High sweethearts and longtime Palisades Tennis Club members are the hottest couple in town.—
Richard Dunn,
Oc Register,
7 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
-
In the video, an officer tries to use a key to enter the residence when the front of the building explodes in a fiery blast.—
Minyvonne Burke,
NBC news,
30 Apr. 2026
-
And this is where the computing space explodes.—
Glenn Zorpette,
IEEE Spectrum,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flames.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flames. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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