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

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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
Earlier test flights ventured no farther than the Indian Ocean halfway around the world, often crashing in flames and briefly skimming space. — Arkansas Online, 29 Sep. 2026 At the same time, injuries stoked the flames of the age discussion. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026 There was a procession to the church of white clad handmaidens (tärnor), star boys (stjärngossar) and gingerbread men (pepparkaksgubbar) with candle wreaths on the maidens’ heads – now battery powered rather than actual flames. — Natasha Langan, TheWeek, 29 Sep. 2026 Nearby residents videoed the scene from the base of the hill, capturing the house engulfed in flames, with smoke pouring into the night sky. — Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026 Windows were broken, and flames were seen shooting out of the roof. — Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026 On the stage, three massive towers that emitted flames lit up in perfect coordination with the fans’ Nachimbongs, creating an immersive atmosphere that elevated every moment of the show. — Natalia Cano, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2026 For renters, parents of small kids, pet owners and anyone in a home where open flames are impractical, that trade-off has turned a novelty gadget into a category regulars restock every year. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026 But the point of this incantation isn’t only to fan the flames of women’s terror. — Eleanor Johnson, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flames
  1. darlings
  2. burns
  3. erupts
  4. glows
  5. gleams
  6. sweethearts
  7. blazes
  8. explodes
Noun
  • Drastic Measures, Wild Child and their owner, Sanders, have become national darlings in the cocktail world over the last several years.
    — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2026
  • This was hailed as a victory for all software-as-a-service companies, which were emerging as industry darlings.
    — Srinivas Velamoor, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of darlings
Verb
  • California no longer burns or buys electricity generated by coal.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • From there, Watkins takes Stacey into stranger territory, turning her personal crisis into a commentary on climate change and how people continue to carry on as the world burns.
    — Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of burns
Verb
  • Cockpit fight erupts The reason for the emergency soon became clearer.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2026
  • During surveillance, Joe recognizes one of the men involved in her abduction, setting off an operation that erupts into a deadly restaurant shootout.
    — Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of erupts
Verb
  • The tool relies on a soluble liquid substitute that glows during the reaction, reducing measurement times to minutes and enabling rapid evaluation of large libraries of enzyme variants.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The number 10 alludes to Yom Kippur, which falls on the 10th day of Tishrei, when the moon glows brighter.
    — Ben Corn, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Sep. 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
  • The family soon moved to Kentucky, where Kingsolver’s parents, high-school sweethearts, had been born and raised, and settled in the small town of Carlisle, where another daughter was born.
    — Casey Cep, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Lois and Billy were childhood sweethearts and had been in a relationship since the age of 16.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 11 Sep. 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
  • Continue reading … ‘NEVER-ENDING’ — Huge number of noncitizens found on voter rolls as Mike Lee explodes on 'honor system'.
    — , FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Once the mook is within blasting range, Reacher explodes the tank with a bullet — making both the man and the floor as holey as Swiss cheese.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 18 Sep. 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 5 Oct. 2026.

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