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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
But those temporary flares of frustration sit within a wider circle of parental care. — Casper Ter Kuile, Vox, 21 Oct. 2026 By making its pockets oversized and bellowed, the designers of the first cargo pants allowed soldiers to tote grenades, flares and other essential gear in their trousers. — Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
Partisan arguments flare over how to balance removal of street encampments with voluntary placement in housing or wraparound social services. — The Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 15 Oct. 2026 And when his biceps injury flared again, and the discomfort extended up through his neck, the Dodgers put off an IL move as long as possible. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 14 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
  • The interview in The Bookman had inaugurated what turned into a flurry of correspondence with his old clerk in the spring of 1892.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Despite a flurry of beauty M&A activity in 2025 — a record 384 deals globally, to be specific — average deal value is on the decline.
    — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of flurry
Noun
  • Berg, working with DP Jacques Jouffret, favors close shots that force us to experience battle much like our heroes do, as confusing, terrifying bursts of mayhem.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The heaviness comes from the fact that the artist died in April, at age forty-six, but it’s also embedded in the paintings on view—in the bursts of fire and swirling floods that mark them.
    — Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • The cream creates a subtle glow and softens the skin, helping to smooth out those fine lines on the neck.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The familiar stars of Orion's Belt glisten to the right of McCollum's image, close to the glow of the Orion Nebula — one of the nearest major star forming regions to Earth.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of glow
Verb
  • And, like the Raptor engines that power another SpaceX launcher, the giant Starship, Clydesdale will burn liquid oxygen and liquid methane, a combo known as methalox.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Residents evacuated as officials decided three days later to blow open five rail cars and burn the vinyl chloride inside.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of burn
Noun
  • Rushing went through a learning curve juggling his defensive and offensive responsibilities, and navigating intense online scrutiny of his outbursts on the field and in the dugout.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
  • From harassing Brady over his divorce from Gisele Bündchen on social media to trying to be a rapper and much more, Brown’s post-football life has been one filled with public outbursts and controversial statements and stunts.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of outburst
Noun
  • Using the Gemini North telescope, Caiazzo and colleagues zoomed in on Pa 30, discovering knots along the strands of gas radiating out from the site of the cosmic explosion, like pearls on a string.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The explosion was set off in front of the local branch of Colombia's tax collection agency near the Francisco de Paula de Santander International bridge.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of explosion
Noun
  • The matte screen effectively fought off the glare from the open window in my row.
    — Allison Johnson, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026
  • And the display has a matte finish, which reduces glare and doesn’t smudge easily.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 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 28 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flare

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