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flare 1 of 2

noun

ˈfler How to pronounce flare (audio)
Definition of flarenext
1
as in flurry
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity a flare in gift card sales around graduation time

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in burst
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling ended the quarrel with a stunning flare of swearwords

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3
as in glow
the steady giving off of the form of radiation that makes vision possible in the darkness the flare of a single match might be seen by enemy troops

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

flare

2 of 2

verb

as in to glow
to shine with a bright harsh light floodlights flaring into the forbidding empty spaces surrounding the prison

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 flare
Noun
Relaxed and straight fits remain prominent in collections, but Jamie Haller and LaQuan Smith made a strong case for flare silhouettes, and 7 For All Mankind brought back the low-rise capri jean in a big way. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026 Last fall, Margot Robbie stepped out in a slightly wider cut, paired with a simple tan tank and coordinating accessories—another example of just how much range exists within the flare family. — Amanda Le, InStyle, 20 Sep. 2026
Verb
Expect egos to run hot and tempers to flare as everyone tries to keep things civil. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2026 In August 2015, land mine blasts maimed two South Korean soldiers and caused tensions between the two Koreas to flare. — ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flare
  1. flurry
  2. burst
  3. glow
  4. burn
  5. outburst
  6. explosion
  7. glare
  8. flame
Noun
  • The announcements underscore Alibaba's growing push into the machinery behind the AI boom, amid a flurry of AI infrastructure investments by its Western tech peers as the race for computing power intensifies.
    — Jenny Lee,Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The two Democrats have exchanged a flurry of critiques throughout the campaign.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of flurry
Noun
  • Launched in 2004, the $364 million observatory is designed to pivot quickly -- as its name suggests -- to capture gamma ray bursts, exploding stars and other fast-breaking cosmic action.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The machines typically used to compress fuel must deliver enormous bursts of energy with exceptional precision.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • Finish with a highlighter wand to bring a bit of glow to the tops of your cheekbones, and swipe on a bit of gloss.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Light takes on an ethereal glow and colors blend into murky browns and blacks.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of glow
Verb
  • This photograph shows a fire burning at the Dobrobut medical centre following a Russian aerial attack on Kyiv on 28 September 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Continue reading … CHIPS OFF THE TABLE — Former Obama aide says Democratic donors still feel burned, cautious after 2024.
    — , FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of burn
Noun
  • But her mental instability was becoming increasingly apparent, leading to outbursts at work and home.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The Bears’ historic 59-point Week 1 outburst means the public is likely to pour money into the over, so this is a great spot to zig when the betting public zags.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of outburst
Noun
  • There’s been an explosion that has caused a giant ice shelf dubbed Judy, one roughly the size of Boston, to detach.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Blowing up a nuclear bomb in space would first destroy or disable any nearby satellites, and then the damage would spread as electronics-frying energetic particles from the explosion contaminated huge swaths of orbit.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of explosion
Noun
  • This, Rostov’s main thoroughfare, wasn’t illuminated by the familiar bright glare of its many street lamps, or by light from its windows, now blacked out, but emerged from the darkness all the more gently in a milky cloak of moonlight.
    — Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Maybe, just maybe, the spotlight's glare was about to shift toward the conference's other celebrity coach, Dabo Swinney of Clemson, whose future is a growing topic of speculation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of glare
Verb
  • Meanwhile, a user named dedsheeran captioned a video of a flaming car accident with links to several organizations providing aid in Palestine, including Gaza Soup Kitchen, UNRWA, the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, and Doctors Without Borders.
    — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Their Bell helicopters collided midair, sending flaming wreckage above the heads of horrified drivers on the Pasadena Freeway.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of flame

Phrases Containing flare

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flaps
flare
flared
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Cite this Entry

“Flare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flare. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on flare

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flare

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