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)
Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 4 June 2026
That gave back a chunk of its rise from this week caused by the latest flare-ups of fighting between Iran and the United States and its allies.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Firefighters remained on the scene overnight to prevent flare-ups.
—Harry Harris, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
The string of flare-ups completely bucked the momentum of the 2025 third-round pick’s rookie season, as Bryant was establishing himself as a near-irreplaceable piece in Denver’s offense.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for flare (up)
Noun
The latest flare-up in the conflict saw Kuwait report early Wednesday that one person had been killed in an Iranian drone attack.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 4 June 2026
That gave back a chunk of its rise from this week caused by the latest flare-ups of fighting between Iran and the United States and its allies.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Firefighters remained on the scene overnight to prevent flare-ups.
—Harry Harris, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
The string of flare-ups completely bucked the momentum of the 2025 third-round pick’s rookie season, as Bryant was establishing himself as a near-irreplaceable piece in Denver’s offense.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for flare (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flare (up)
Verb
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The four leaders have also angered Trump by criticizing how he’s gone about executing the war and his lack of consultation with allies before jumping into a conflict that’s hurt the global economy as oil prices have surged.—
Aamer Madhani,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
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The four leaders have also angered Trump by criticizing how he's gone about executing the war and his lack of consultation with allies before jumping into a conflict that's hurt the global economy as oil prices have surged.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 June 2026
Verb
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But when Julián Quiñones of Team Mexico scored the first goal of the tournament, the Fan Fest grounds erupted with cheers from the thousands of fans wearing green, red and white.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
-
Midland police said the active shooter situation ended hours after the gunfire erupted in one part of the city before ending up near a veterinary hospital and other businesses.—
Jeffrey Collins,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Brunson would not go quietly, using another flurry of points to cut the Spurs’ lead back down to six as the quarter neared the halfway point.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
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That pronouncement set off a flurry of activity that saw reporters scrambling to post to social media channels, while still trying to listen to what Berry had to say.—
Greg Engle,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Noun
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With Blue Origin grounded until the source of the explosion can be determined, the pad can be repaired, and a new New Glenn can be readied for flight, NASA’s—and America’s—lunar dreams rest on the potentially wobbly shoulders of Starship.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
12 June 2026
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The second of two launches on the day, and both a day after the Blue Origin New Glenn static fire explosion at Launch Complex 36, which was 6 miles to the south.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Ukrainian drones now pummel industrial targets across Russia nightly, shutting down oil refineries, snarling logistics, and forcing airports to close for days at a time.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2026
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Laurie plays the snarling, villainous Richard Roper in the BBC and Prime Video’s big-budget adaptation of le Carré’s The Night Manager.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
4 June 2026
Verb
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The Dodgers and Ohtani, who gave up a season-high four runs in 6⅔ innings, let a 6-1 lead melt in the humidity at PNC Park then watched the Pirates explode for five runs in the eighth inning.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
11 June 2026
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In May, at the manufacturing facility, which stores thousands of gallons of toxic chemicals in pressurized tanks used to produce materials such as plexiglass for fighter jet and commercial aircraft windows, one tank threatened to leak or explode.—
Nilesh Christopher,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Four of the runs scored in a quick burst in the sixth, when Neto made an error just before Rushing’s three-run homer.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
8 June 2026
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While the Rays came alive for three runs during the final two innings, Miami’s early offensive burst built enough of a cushion for Tyler Zuber to earn his first career save.—
Tyler Carmona
June 6,
Miami Herald,
7 June 2026
Noun
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Brown, who entered the courtroom wearing a black and gray jumpsuit and orange shackles on his hands and feet, had multiple outbursts during the brief hearing Tuesday morning.—
Andy Buck,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
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So count that inning as an outburst.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flare (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flare%20%28up%29. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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