1
as in to anger
to become very angry
naturally I flared up when he insulted me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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)
Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 29 Apr. 2026
That could lead to more visible smoke and flare-ups from hidden heat.
—Christopher Harris, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
Over time, maintaining cleaner air can help reduce allergy flare-ups and other respiratory issues, potentially leading to lower medical expenses and a reduced reliance on ongoing treatments.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
Despite another flare-up over Greenland in January, the bill has failed to make any progress.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flare (up)
Noun
The recent flare-ups—including currently active outbreaks in Utah and Florida—have come amid a steady decline in vaccination rates and rising hesitancy and antivaccine messaging from the highest levels of government.
—Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 29 Apr. 2026
That could lead to more visible smoke and flare-ups from hidden heat.
—Christopher Harris, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
Over time, maintaining cleaner air can help reduce allergy flare-ups and other respiratory issues, potentially leading to lower medical expenses and a reduced reliance on ongoing treatments.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
Despite another flare-up over Greenland in January, the bill has failed to make any progress.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flare (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flare (up)
Verb
-
Starmer’s comments risk angering many within his party, who will take issue with his linking of antisemitism with pro-Palestinian activism.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
2 May 2026
-
Those plans angered victims' families, and some prominent state officials called for regulators to deny or delay renewal of the camp's license, which had been under review by the Texas Department of State Health Services.—
Briauna Brown,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Days after the intense discourse erupted on social media, Emmy-winning Euphoria makeup artist Donni Davy applauded the look on Instagram.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
8 May 2026
-
Alaniz hit a walk-off home run and flipped his bat as the crowd at Brownwood High School erupted.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
He should not be deluded by the Phillies’ quick flurry of wins after replacing Rob Thompson as manager with Don Mattingly.—
Bill Madden,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2026
-
QuickTake The fire, one of the most destructive in California history, has also led to a flurry of lawsuits against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Water, the biggest municipal utility in the US.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
In 1985, an explosion in the basement of a Ross department store—caused by an unventilated buildup of methane gas underneath the store—razed several city blocks and injured twenty-three people.—
Oren Peleg,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
-
In 1992, a buildup of methane gas and coal dust triggered a massive explosion in the Westray Mine in Nova Scotia, Canada, killing 26 coal miners.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
As of Sunday evening, traffic was snarled at Robertson Boulevard and Burton Way, which is on the border between Beverly Hills and the Los Angeles neighborhood of Beverly Grove.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
-
The musical — a rock-and-raunch, goth-and-gay parody of cheesy, mid-century horror/sci-fi flicks — was created by Richard O’Brien (book, music, lyrics and who performed as the snarling butler Riff Raff).—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While the video game market stood at a whopping $219 billion in 2024, the competition in games has exploded over the past decade or so, with 19,000 games being released in 2023 for consoles and PC, compared to just under 2,000 in 2014, according to data from consulting firm Bain & Company.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
-
The second one, the one that exploded in Carter’s hands, was round with paper around it and about the size of a baseball.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
An unexpected new burst of infamy arrived in 2011, when the motto appeared at SlutWalk NYC, a feminist protest, on a sign held by a protester—a white woman, as far as anyone could tell.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Each new burst of observation, each refined model, peels back another layer, showing us just how dynamic and surprising the life of a star can be.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
3 May 2026
Noun
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Flagg and Knueppel traded places as betting favorites during the season, but Flagg’s 96-point outburst over two games on the second-to-last weekend might have tipped the scales.—
Schuyler Dixon,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
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The Bears took control with a 5-0 outburst in the third quarter for a 12-7 advantage over the defending champions.—
Glae Thien,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flare (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flare%20%28up%29. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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