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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Prosecutors said Weisheit bound and gagged Caleb, then placed railroad flares in his clothing and near his body before setting fire to the home and fleeing out of state. — Abigail Brooks, NBC news, 4 Nov. 2026 Its onboard instruments could detect anything that changes quickly in the sky, including supernovae and X-ray flares from binary stars, which are two stars bound by gravity that tend to interact with each other. — Mary Ogborn, The Conversation, 4 Nov. 2026
Verb
Superstars at both ends, tempers ready to flare, world-class soccer, and a roaring Camp Nou crowd. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026 Tensions flare in Tennessee as the Memphis City Council rejects an 18-month pause on new data center development despite pushback from local residents. — Staff, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 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
  • Beijing has hosted a flurry of global leaders this year, while major economies have struggled to slow a surge of imports from China.
    — Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Instead, the late-breaking 9th Circuit decisions spurred a flurry of confusion and conjecture just hours before polls were set to open in the country’s most populous state.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of flurry
Noun
  • The chemical and environmental engineers found a way to transform tough composite waste into high-value manufacturing materials using a brief burst of extreme heat.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Still a low-churn environment The burst of optimism, however, comes with some caveats.
    — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • Step inside the glassy tower and the mood softens instantly; warm wood panelling, geometric latticework and ikebana arrangements nod to traditional craftsmanship; lantern-like lighting casts a gentle glow across stone floors and neutral textiles.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The glow of many Turners has dwindled, thanks to unstable pigments, but here is an immaculate exception.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of glow
Verb
  • Pike, 50, survived two doses of pentobarbital in September, which her attorneys say probably did not enter her bloodstream correctly and instead pooled in her arms, leaving them burned and blistered.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
  • From waste to carbon Waste incineration plants produce CO2 while burning residual waste in order to generate electricity.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of burn
Noun
  • In 2017, IceCube detected a neutrino that appeared to come from the direction of a quasar, known as TXS 0506+056, at the same time that a telescope detected an outburst of gamma radiation from that same object.
    — Yjan Gordon, The Conversation, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The fines could be rescinded if the coaches avoid sideline outbursts for the rest of the season, as the league calls for more civil interactions between coaches, players and officials.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of outburst
Noun
  • The explosion killed him and fourteen others in his vicinity, as well as the assassin, and injured another forty-three.
    — Sonia Gandhi, Vanity Fair, 10 Nov. 2026
  • That prompted an explosion of vape shops, convenience stores and gas stations that sold hemp, with no regulations on the products or the age of consumers.
    — Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of explosion
Noun
  • The crew switched on spotlights to mimic the glare of the blast.
    — Matt Alt, New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2026
  • There’s also a nano-texture glass option to fight glare, though that will set you back another $150.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of glare
Verb
  • That’s especially true in the Southeast, where there’s no shortage of uniquely thrilling opening acts from Chief Osceola and his flaming spear at Florida State to the eagle’s pre-game lap around Jordan Hare Stadium at Auburn.
    — Elizabeth Hutchison Hicklin, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The flaming tower is part of a component most often known in Russian by the acronym ELOU-AVT, shorthand for an Electric Desalting and Atmospheric-Vacuum Distillation Unit.
    — Jarrett Ley, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 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 11 Nov. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flare

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