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 After multiple flare-ups and suggestions of an imminent accord, there do not appear to be any concrete plans to end the 24-week war. — August 17, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026 Dermatologist Toral Vaidya of MDCS Dermatology in New York told HuffPost that consistent exposure to dry air can dehydrate your skin, worsen sensitivity and trigger flare-ups of underlying conditions like eczema. — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 17 Aug. 2026 In France, firefighters battling a wildfire in a pine forest in the southwestern Landes region faced no major flare-ups overnight, Landes Prefect Gilles Clavreul said. — Sylvie Corbet, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026 People with digestive conditions that require a temporary low-fiber diet during flare-ups may also need to limit unhulled sesame seeds, since their fiber-rich outer hull can be difficult to tolerate. — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026 Teams have been working to prevent flare-ups on the ground and with aerial operations, Nugraha said. — ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026 Both helped, but azithromycin was slightly better at preventing more flare-ups. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 11 Aug. 2026 Geopolitical flare-ups in the Middle East are disrupting supply chains. — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026 Authorities reported only ⁠minor flare-ups in the southwestern Gironde area and said the blaze in the southeastern Var department had not spread overnight. — Reuters, NBC news, 2 Aug. 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
  • The past 14 years have included some flurries of diplomatic contact between Iran and the West.
    — Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
  • There is even a remote possibility for a few flurries in the highest peaks of the Sierra on Saturday and Sunday nights with temps briefly below freezing.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of flurries
Noun
  • Deadly fires, often linked to electrical faults or gas cylinder explosions, are common in India where investigators have frequently pointed to safety lapses and inadequate enforcement of fire regulations as contributing to recurring loss of life.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Swift was designed to study gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the universe, which are triggered by cosmic events like the births of black holes and collisions between ultra-dense stars at the ends of their lives.
    — Denise Chow, NBC news, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of explosions
Noun
  • As a result, mumps vaccination rates are low, and Japan has large outbreaks every three to five years.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The vast majority of cases have been in people who were unvaccinated, and outbreaks have spread in communities with lower vaccination rates.
    — Grace Manthey, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of outbreaks
Noun
  • The outbursts helped relieve some pressure, but Nakashima tightened up as the prospect of making his first Masters 1000 final neared.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The McKinney City Council voted late Wednesday night to approve a site plan for a new mosque after a marathon meeting marked by outbursts and hours of public comment.
    — Trevor Sochocki, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of outbursts
Noun
  • Solar panels produce massive bursts of cheap electricity during midday.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The trick is to hold the can 8 to 10 inches away, and spray in short bursts.
    — Iman Balagam, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of bursts
Noun
  • Consider the latest eruptions that happened within hours of each other a few days ago, when the league quickly rescinded a technical foul assessed to Clark that would have put her at the threshold for a suspension.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Since Yellowstone’s last caldera-forming event, the region has experienced approximately 80 comparatively nonexplosive eruptions, most of which produced lava flows.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of eruptions
Noun
  • It was safely escorted from the airspace after flares were deployed.
    — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Yet Fed officials are sharply split over their next steps and inflation could tick higher in the coming months, particularly if fighting in the Middle East flares.
    — Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of flares
Noun
  • The sample size is only 10 games, and though his quarterback rating was the second-worst among signal-callers with more than 155 pass attempts, there were some flashes of good quarterback play.
    — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • They’re being ragdolled by mechanical seats, sprayed by gusts of water, jarred by simulated flashes of lightning, and by all indications having a great time.
    — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 12 Aug. 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 21 Aug. 2026.

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