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

Relevance

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 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

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

He was accused of two other antisemitic outbursts and was eventually convicted in France on hate-speech charges.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 20 Aug. 2026
The 36-year-old Hubble is also dropping in orbit because of all the sun's recent outbursts and is expected to reenter the atmosphere in the 2030s if nothing is done.

— CBS News, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of outbursts

Noun

Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because of its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities are central to supernova explosions as well as volcanic eruptions and this study will help astronomers and geophysicists alike in predict how energy moves through these systems.

— Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of eruptions

Noun

Symptoms can cycle between flares and periods of improvement, and common triggers can include stress and skin injuries, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS).

— Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026
It was safely escorted from the airspace after flares were deployed.

— Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 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

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Flare-ups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flare-ups. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of flare-ups

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

prowess

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes