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 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 Air fresheners, perfumes, cleaning supplies and paint spark allergy flare-ups that can last for 10 days. — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Sep. 2026 Crews continue responding to new flare-ups across North Texas, and Turner said the region could remain active through the end of September and into early October. — Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026 Fires within the debris pile burned through the end of December 2001 with flare-ups in 2002. — ABC News, 11 Sep. 2026 Oil prices have been on a rollercoaster this year, oscillating as traders react to flare-ups in fighting and monitor oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026 And the price of oil breached the $100 threshold, for the first time in months, as the new flare-ups stoked fresh concern for global energy markets. — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 9 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
  • Chelsea spent long stretches of the first half in survival mode as Arsenal roared onto the front foot after that shock opener, conjuring furious flurries of pressure from open play and set pieces.
    — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Just as real snow flurries often do, this portrayal of that weather lifted my heart.
    — Michael Joseph Gross, Travel + Leisure, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of flurries
Noun
  • That matters for scientists trying to spot signals from earthquakes, explosions, and human activity.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Poland’s prime minister warns Russia may target countries supporting Ukraine with hybrid attacks, while new drone explosions have heightened local fears.
    — Claudia Ciobanu, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of explosions
Noun
  • Control Apple maggot flies are closely monitored in susceptible regions, and small outbreaks can sometimes be managed without conventional pesticides.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Some food safety scientists blamed the outbreaks on federal cuts to public health.
    — Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of outbreaks
Noun
  • There was no notice to staff that swings in blood sugar levels can cause the kind of emotional distress and behavioral outbursts that got Christian in trouble.
    — Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Foreigners have also experienced sporadic outbursts of xenophobic violence.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of outbursts
Noun
  • Launched in 2004, the $364-million observatory is designed to pivot quickly — as its name suggests — to capture gamma ray bursts, exploding stars and other fast-breaking cosmic action.
    — Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Launched in 2004, the $364 million observatory is designed to pivot quickly -- as its name suggests -- to capture gamma ray bursts, exploding stars and other fast-breaking cosmic action.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of bursts
Noun
  • In the deep ocean, high water pressure can suppress explosive volcanic activity, making eruptions less destructive.
    — Yook Ji Hun, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The Best Travel Photography of 2023 From the wildebeest migration in Kenya and volcanic eruptions in Iceland to shamanic rituals in Siberia.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of eruptions
Noun
  • The 4×4 has also been equipped with a bold body kit that includes a more aggressive front fascia, hood scoop, and even larger fender flares.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 25 Sep. 2026
  • These flares are more extreme when the neutron star is closest to its stellar donor and thus passing through a denser stream of plasma.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of flares
Noun
  • Dementia patients’ flashes of lucidity are offering hope to scientists and families.
    — Jamie Ross, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The signal passes through a transistor controlled by the Arduino so that the flashes can be started and stopped at prescribed times.
    — David Schneider, IEEE Spectrum, 24 Sep. 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 2 Oct. 2026.

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