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
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)
Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
The rapid and often unpredictable cadence of geopolitical flare-ups means that even the strongest friendshoring partnerships will inevitably be tested.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 25 Feb. 2026
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 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
See All Example Sentences for flare (up)
Noun
Previous flare-ups have calmed after days of fighting, and mediation by foreign governments including Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
—Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
The rapid and often unpredictable cadence of geopolitical flare-ups means that even the strongest friendshoring partnerships will inevitably be tested.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 25 Feb. 2026
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 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
See All Example Sentences for flare (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flare (up)
Verb
-
The launch bucked Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s claims that Iranian missiles only have an approximate 1,200-mile range and angered on-edge European leaders.—
Molly Parks,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Is she amused or angered or saddened by this?—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The loudest moment of the night came at the 12-minute mark when Purdue’s bench and its huge contingent of yellow and black clad fans erupted as senior point guard Braden Smith made history with his 1,077th career assist, breaking the 33-year-old NCAA record set in 1993 by Duke’s Bobby Hurley.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Munyak's magic moment LIU's last basket of the night was special for the Sharks and their fans, who all erupted in cheers when Eddie Munyak banked in a 3-pointer with 53 seconds left.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The revelations immediately prompted a flurry of action across San Diego County and the state.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Mar. 2026
-
The company unveiled a flurry of new products at the expo on Monday and gave investors a financial update on Tuesday morning.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Nam said the cause was not immediately known, but the blaze appeared to have spread rapidly, with witnesses reporting an explosion.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Heavy explosions shook Dubai early Friday as air defenses intercepted incoming fire over the city, where people were observing Eid al-Fitr, the end of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, and mosques made the day's first call to prayers.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Beyond the red tape that snarls any new apartment, condominiums confront an additional hurdle.—
M. Nolan Gray,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Shipping lanes and timelines have been snarled for nearly two weeks after the United States and Israel carried out strikes on Iran, leading to delays around the Strait of Hormuz and surging oil prices.—
Rachel Lerman,
Washington Post,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Costs have exploded since the end of February upon the launch of Operation Epic Fury, the joint military strikes with Israel against Iran.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Characters will die and the entire lab sometimes explodes, only for things to snap back to normal in the very next episode.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For a burst of contrasting sweetness, toss in some pomegranate seeds along with a drizzle of hot honey and a tuft of fresh mint too.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Booker led the Longhorns out of the break with the third-quarter burst that quickly settled the outcome.—
Jim Vertuno,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
While presenting at the British Academy Film Awards earlier this month, Jordan and co-star Delroy Lindo were called a racial slur by Tourette’s activist John Davidson during a tic outburst.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Similar scoring outbursts from the Case Western Reserve recruit were not forthcoming, of course.—
Steve Reaven,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flare (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flare%20%28up%29. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
