FLARE-UPS Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

flare-ups

noun

plural of flare-up

as in flurries

a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity took medication to prevent a flare-up of her asthma

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in explosions

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-ups Formulated specifically for redness- and acne-prone skin, it’s packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients, including a soothing peptide and bisabolol, to help keep ruddiness and flare-ups in check, while glycerin hydrates skin without feeling greasy. — Madison San Miguel, Allure, 10 Nov. 2026 Crews were still putting out flare-ups at the home on Friday afternoon. — Logan Hall, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026 Al-Mughayyir is one of the West Bank’s flash points, the site of fatal flare-ups between settlers and Palestinians and lethal military raids. — Suheir Hashimeh, Washington Post, 1 Nov. 2026 Bar-Or distinguished the biology of relapsing MS — in which patients experience flare-ups — from progressive MS, which worsens gradually over time. — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2026 There have been verbal flare-ups in previous meetings between Medvedev and Tsitsipas down the years, including in the Australian Open semifinals in 2022. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 Over the decades, as Shakur’s stature grew and evolved, there were flare-ups of media interest and theories but no conclusions or arrests. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026 The sun’s intense flare-ups had put the telescope on a downward spiral faster than engineers anticipated. — Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026 The sun's intense flare-ups had put the telescope on a downward spiral faster than engineers anticipated. — Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flare-ups

Noun

Similarly, flurries and snow showers are expected in the Upper Midwest, along with chillier-than-normal temperatures.

— Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 21 Oct. 2026
And a colleague spotted on a webcam video what appeared to be flurries at Beech Mountain Saturday morning.

— Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of flurries

Noun

Periods of paralyzing coldness are punctured by moments of passionate intensity; abject declarations of love and remorse follow savage explosions; then come the coercion, denials, gaslighting, and escalations.

— Jamie Hood, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2026
This is a process that scientists are keen to understand, as these explosions fling the heavy elements forged during the stars' lifetimes into surrounding galaxies.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 11 Nov. 2026

Definition of explosions

Noun

If that doesn’t happen, Jacobs warns that there could be more infectious disease outbreaks on the horizon.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2026
Other states began reporting their own measles outbreaks, including Utah, Arizona, South Carolina and Pennsylvania.

— Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 10 Nov. 2026

Definition of outbreaks

Noun

This sets in motion a chain of events that results in the brilliant outbursts.

— Keith Cooper, Space.com, 12 Nov. 2026
In addition to the shocking run of results, which leaves the Red Devils in 18th place, the season has been punctuated by several flashpoints – including public outbursts from club captain Bruno Fernandes and fans turning on many of the players.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2026

Definition of outbursts

Noun

Powerful storms, intense winds, Arctic air, and even bursts of warmth all play a role in creating the complex weather pattern the region experiences.

— Ahmad Bajjey, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026
Like most things in life, the key to being a better reader is likely small, regular doses, rather than sudden intense bursts pegged to major news events.

— Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of bursts

Noun

Prosecutors said Weisheit bound and gagged Caleb, then placed railroad flares in his clothing and near his body before setting fire to the home and fleeing out of state.

— Abigail Brooks, NBC news, 4 Nov. 2026
Its onboard instruments could detect anything that changes quickly in the sky, including supernovae and X-ray flares from binary stars, which are two stars bound by gravity that tend to interact with each other.

— Mary Ogborn, The Conversation, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of flares

Noun

But despite flashes throughout the year, like a 16-point showing in a win over Providence or putting up 17 points and six rebounds in a blowout win of Kansas State, Lampkin’s production dropped across the board.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Nov. 2026
The Jets have shown flashes of improvement from his 3-14 debut season, but those flashes haven’t produced consistent results.

— Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of flashes

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flare-up

flare-ups

flaring

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“Flare-ups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flare-ups. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of flare-ups

noun

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