flare-ups

noun

plural of flare-up
1
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
2
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 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 The restricted operations status, which the department introduced in August amid flare-ups in the war with Iran, allows embassies to reduce staffing and services without fully suspending operations. — Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 21 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 Since the staging area for firefighters, utility workers, national guard, and police was next to our house, for the next few days firefighters were able to put out flare-ups in and around our backyard. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 25 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flare-ups
  1. flurries
  2. explosions
  3. outbreaks
  4. outbursts
  5. bursts
  6. eruptions
  7. flares
  8. flashes
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
  • Iranian state media reported explosions being heard on the islands of Qeshm and Hengam in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, and in the nearby mainland area of Bandar Abbas.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Nov. 2026
  • But many of its test flights so far have ended in fiery explosions; its next test, Flight 15, is slated for mid-November.
    — Ramin Skibba, Scientific American, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of explosions
Noun
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigated 2026 outbreaks connected to frozen blueberries, jalapeños, iceberg lettuce and both broccoli and alfalfa sprouts, along with other foods.
    — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Nov. 2026
  • In 2026 alone, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked into outbreaks tied to iceberg lettuce, broccoli sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, jalapeños and frozen blueberries, among others.
    — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of outbreaks
Noun
  • So far, there’s been little evidence of a more general relationship between gamma-ray outbursts and neutrino detections.
    — Yjan Gordon, The Conversation, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The fines could be rescinded if the coaches avoid sideline outbursts for the rest of the season, as the league calls for more civil interactions between coaches, players and officials.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of outbursts
Noun
  • The electrical system provides the high bursts of power needed for vertical take-offs and landings, while the fuel engine sustains long-range cruising.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
  • This nebula, called the Red Spider Nebula, is scuttling around space while its central star, glowing bright red in the middle, ejects bursts of gas and dust.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of bursts
Noun
  • However, eruptions and lava flows have been conspicuous by their absence.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Together, these tools offered astronomers extraordinary insights into GRBs—extremely luminous eruptions that occur in distant galaxies when massive stars explode or collide, sometimes leaving behind neutron stars or black holes.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of eruptions
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

Browse Nearby Words

flare-up
flare-ups
flaring
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Cite this Entry

“Flare-ups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flare-ups. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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