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
1
as in flurry
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity
took medication to prevent a flare-up of her asthma
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Recent Examples of flare (up)
Ramy Inocencio, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
The United States has held the threat of military action over the regime in the wake of those demonstrations, which marked the biggest flare-up of domestic dissent since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 23 Feb. 2026
The film wrapped its shoot in Manipur in 2023, just weeks before a flare-up in violence between the Meitei people and the Kuki-Zo tribal community in the region bordering Myanmar, which has since left hundreds dead and at least 60,000 people displaced.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 23 Feb. 2026
Amid the country’s political divisions, there have been flare-ups over who is memorialized at the Capitol with a service to lie in state, or honor, in the Rotunda.
—Lisa Mascaro, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flare (up)
Noun
The new flare-ups, which began Saturday, openly challenge the government to suppress dissent once again — even as the final death toll from the earlier wave of violence has yet to be made official, with tens of thousands feared dead.
—Ramy Inocencio, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
The United States has held the threat of military action over the regime in the wake of those demonstrations, which marked the biggest flare-up of domestic dissent since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 23 Feb. 2026
The film wrapped its shoot in Manipur in 2023, just weeks before a flare-up in violence between the Meitei people and the Kuki-Zo tribal community in the region bordering Myanmar, which has since left hundreds dead and at least 60,000 people displaced.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 23 Feb. 2026
Amid the country’s political divisions, there have been flare-ups over who is memorialized at the Capitol with a service to lie in state, or honor, in the Rotunda.
—Lisa Mascaro, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flare (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flare (up)
Verb
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The two sat up front and refused to move, angering the driver, who stormed off at every stop, all through the night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The policy coincided with hurricane season, and relief efforts in states such as Missouri, North Carolina, and California were delayed, angering the public and, in many cases, their Republican representatives.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The long-simmering rivalry between Sunni and Shiite Muslims erupted into a civil war that killed tens of thousands of civilians.—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The long-festering malaise erupted into street demonstrations last September, triggered by a social media ban, that brought thousands onto the streets, leading to clashes and fatalities that forced the resignation of Oli.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Last year saw a flurry of legislation in Congress that would do anything from permanently implementing the time (the Sunshine Protection Act) to multiple bills that would allow states to choose for themselves (Hawaii and Arizona have already opted for year-round standard time).—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
7 Mar. 2026
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Investing for the long run A flurry of deals at the end of 2025 saw Alphabet, Oracle, and Meta sell more than $70 billion in bonds over the course of weeks.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Others reported explosions around the Iranian city of Kermanshah in an area that is home to multiple missile bases.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Amid the explosions, internet blackouts, and continued uncertainty, some Iranians are seeking a way out.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Out slink the striped cats, snarling and roaring, leaping at each other or at me.—
Alessandro Meregaglia,
The Conversation,
3 Mar. 2026
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Traffic had also been snarled in Noblesville as the city rebuilt Pleasant Street and completed a new bridge over the White River to ease traffic on east-west streets in downtown.—
Jake Allen,
IndyStar,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In addition, the use of automatic license plate readers has exploded around the country in recent years, which allows law enforcement to tap into a vast network of cameras to search the movements of specific cars.—
Meg Anderson,
NPR,
4 Mar. 2026
-
The cost to secure power supplies on PJM has exploded in recent years, with $23 billion attributable to data centers, according to watchdog Monitoring Analytics.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Shrimp is a quick-cooking springtime favorite, and it is accompanied by a burst of flavors in this recipe, which incorporates a craveable herby dressing.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
1 Mar. 2026
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The burst was fueled by a pull-up jumper and a layup in a 14-second span by Howell.—
Edward Lee,
Baltimore Sun,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
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His signature performance was his eighth consecutive double-digit outburst and offered his loudest statement for All-WCC honors.—
Devin Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
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But the sun is a relatively quiet star, and Earth's magnetic field is strong enough to protect our planet against those outbursts.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flare (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flare%20%28up%29. Accessed 8 Mar. 2026.
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