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)
Chloe Laws, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Apr. 2026
The latest flare-up underscores a broader geopolitical clash about Iran, Gaza and regional influence, even as Washington attempts to maintain cooperation with both sides.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
There were no more real flare-ups — just Detroit (59-22) dominating the Hornets like a big brother dominating a little brother in a game of one-on-one.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 11 Apr. 2026
Scientists’ best solar models presently struggle to precisely predict flare-ups on our own, most familiar star.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flare (up)
Noun
My stomach cramping and pain were too sharp to even walk, and the four-day trip was lost to a flare-up.
—Chloe Laws, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Apr. 2026
The latest flare-up underscores a broader geopolitical clash about Iran, Gaza and regional influence, even as Washington attempts to maintain cooperation with both sides.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
There were no more real flare-ups — just Detroit (59-22) dominating the Hornets like a big brother dominating a little brother in a game of one-on-one.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 11 Apr. 2026
Scientists’ best solar models presently struggle to precisely predict flare-ups on our own, most familiar star.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flare (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flare (up)
Verb
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Imagine the type of conviction Jon-Eric Sullivan must have in Kadyn Proctor to have his first-round selection disappoint, if not anger most of his South Florida fan base?—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
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Trump faces record-low approval ratings, while Washington’s war on Iran, which has sent US gasoline prices spiking, has further angered voters.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Crews made fast work of a 10-acre fire that erupted in brush in the vicinity of the SoCal Sports complex and Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, briefly prompting an order that people in the area shelter in place Friday.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
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One of the defendant’s friends had a conversation with Velasquez that erupted into a brawl before the defendant charged at the victim and opened fire, the prosecutor said.—
City News Service,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Crouse’s goals capped an early flurry that saw the Mammoth score four times over the first 30 minutes while being limited to only eight shots on goal during that stretch.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
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In a flurry of activity beginning on March 8, 2025, Purdue filed documents that show lines crossing out the eligibility criteria and victim compensation amounts, with no explanation or substitute language.—
Craig R. McCoy,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
After a faulty cooling system was left to disrepair, rising temperatures resulted in an explosion with the equivalent force of 70-100 tons of TNT.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
To locals, Soviet leaders seemed to be downplaying the severity of the explosion.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
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The talks planned for Saturday come as much of the world is on edge over a war that has snarled crucial energy exports through the Strait of Hormuz, clouded the global economic picture and left thousands dead across the Middle East.—
Munir Ahmed,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Walks have exploded under new ABS system With the introduction of challenges, MLB had to essentially redefine the strike zone to ensure that the tracking system would consistently and accurately measure what actually is a strike or ball.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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Freedom from nonstop sound effects Some ballparks are worse than others, but the trend of teams that pump up the volume and inject sound effects between pitches, similar to an NBA game, is exploding.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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As for Mitchell, James Tatum said, the burst of violence caught the family somewhat by surprise.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Apr. 2026
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His quick steps can cause tackles to lose their balance, and his burst to turn pressures into sacks is tremendous.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 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 1 May. 2026.
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