flare (up) 1 of 2

verb

Definition of flare (up)next
1
as in to anger
to become very angry naturally I flared up when he insulted me

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to erupt
to develop suddenly and violently my allergies always flare up in the spring

Synonyms & Similar Words

flare-up

2 of 2

noun

ˈfler-ˌəp How to pronounce flare-up (audio)
1
as in flurry
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity took medication to prevent a flare-up of her asthma

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling there's no need for an angry flare-up, as we'll take care of the problem immediately

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 (up)
Noun
The four-time MVP has not pitched in a game since July and has clearly been battling left knee inflammation and occasional flare-ups of right biceps discomfort for months. — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Here is what the data shows and how clinicians suggest managing nighttime flare-ups. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2026 In the clips, Chili explained her bandmates' absences, telling the crowd that T-Boz is dealing with a sickle cell flare-up. — Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 The flare-up brought an end to more than a month of a tense calm in the Gulf region. — Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flare (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flare (up)
  1. anger
  2. erupt
  3. flurry
  4. explosion
  5. snarl
  6. explode
  7. burst
  8. outburst
Verb
  • Sánchez is facing mounting scrutiny amid a prolonged humanitarian crisis in Ceuta, where the flood of thousands of migrants has angered residents in the tiny community, which is ill-equipped to handle such an influx.
    — Suman Naishadham, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Prosecutors argued Monday that Kading’s disclosures angered Davis.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of anger
Verb
  • Anak Krakatau has erupted since late ⁠on Friday, with volcanic ash detected at the airport early on Sunday, the ​ministry said in a statement.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
  • As Morris hit the ground and the 57,000-plus yellow-and-green glad fans inside Autzen Stadium erupted, the Broncos’ fate was sealed.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of erupt
Noun
  • The Miami Herald spoke with four Cubans and one Brazilian man who were sent as part of a flurry of deportation flights across Africa in August.
    — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Ahead of the official start of the US Open, a flurry of fetes took place across New York City.
    — Paul Chi, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of flurry
Noun
  • One resident, Iryna Barisenkova, recalled hearing loud explosions while traveling on public transport.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Captain Dixon says thankfully things were much calmer on Monday compared to Sunday, when there were constant Mayday calls from a man overboard to a sinking vessel — even an explosion at a dock nearby as a boat was refueling.
    — Asal Rezaei, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of explosion
Verb
  • The hourslong closure snarled the morning commute into Sacramento, shutting down westbound Highway 50 between Hazel Avenue and Sunrise Boulevard.
    — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Photographs from the scene show crunched cars snarled in chunks of the wire fence that used to separate the airport from the road.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of snarl
Verb
  • The match was instead a battle of strategy and focus, and a test of which player could execute her shots best under pressure, amid the excited buzz of a crowd waiting for reasons to explode.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The cost of living for middle class families for average Americans is exploding.
    — NBC news, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of explode
Noun
  • These are short, all-out bursts of exercise performed at an intensity higher than your maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂ max).
    — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Inflation eased in June and July, but a burst of on-again, off-again fighting in recent weeks caused crude prices to rise again.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • There was a sense that only significant deals could stave off the double threat of the Austrian’s outbursts over transfers destabilising the team midway through the campaign and Palace tumbling into a relegation battle.
    — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • According to Marco Tedesco, a geophysicist at Columbia University, the task of developing early warning systems for landslides, glacier collapse events and glacial outburst floods requires sustained effort.
    — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of outburst

Browse Nearby Words

flares (up)
flare (up)
flare-up
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Cite this Entry

“Flare (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flare%20%28up%29. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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