FLARES Synonyms: 113 Similar and Opposite Words

flares 1 of 2

noun

plural of flare

as in bursts

a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity a flare in gift card sales around graduation time

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in explosions

a sudden intense expression of strong feeling ended the quarrel with a stunning flare of swearwords

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in glows

the steady giving off of the form of radiation that makes vision possible in the darkness the flare of a single match might be seen by enemy troops

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

flares

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of flare

as in burns

to shine with a bright harsh light floodlights flaring into the forbidding empty spaces surrounding the prison

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 flares

Noun

After the group called 911 and sent flares from boats, paramedics reportedly responded by boat and a medical helicopter flew the victim to a nearby hospital. — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026 One of the flares bounced back, landed on the boat and started the fire. — Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 July 2026 Activists in pink balaclavas led by Nadya Tolokonnikova and other members of Pussy Riot, together with the feminist dissent group FEMEN, shot smoke flares and waved Ukrainian flags outside the Russian pavilion, chanting anti-war slogans. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 24 July 2026 Regardless, the heft of this project is such that the first real look should feel more fun, or more serious, and not this strange combination of close-ups and lens flares. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 20 July 2026 Leg-elongating flares, easy straight-leg styles, and more designer denim options are marked down. — Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026 The video includes a few shots of Spidey taking a foldable phone off a 3D printer and opening it book-style, but each shot is heavily obscured by lens flares. — Stevie Bonifield, The Verge, 15 July 2026 Last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sent autonomous driving companies a letter saying some cars have been driving through emergency scenes, ignoring flares and traffic cones and obstructing ambulances. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 July 2026 Fireworks and flares were let off and music blared from portable speakers to attract more and more to a boisterous 3am scene. — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 12 July 2026

Verb

City officials and public safety leaders say residents cannot legally reserve a public street space with furniture, cones or homemade markers, even as the tradition flares up again around big events like Picklesburgh. — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 15 July 2026 The other eight out of nine Israeli workers make their living in shops, farms, and one-person businesses that depend on local customers, the ones who stay home and lose a day's income every time the fighting flares up. — Frayda Leibtag, Time, 13 July 2026 Separately, Ford is also recalling 36,046 Bronco vehicles with model years 2022 to 2026 because the fender flares may be improperly secured and can fall off, creating a hazard for drivers, the NHTSA said. — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 30 June 2026 Plus, an elastic waistband adds comfort, while the fabric drapes over the body without clinging and gently flares at the mid-thigh into a subtle A-line silhouette. — Shea Simmons, PEOPLE, 23 June 2026 Designed to enhance your natural shape, these jeans boast a snug fit through the hips and thighs that flares out into a modest wide-leg finish. — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 11 June 2026 Your dark humor flares on occasion. — Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026 Within any chimp group, violence flares occasionally — but it is usually dampened by long friendships. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2026 There’s a funny reason why the pain flares in your upper face and forehead, a bit of a distance from the area responsible for the cold. — Julia Daye, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flares

Noun

Solar storms are energy bursts from the sun that can contribute to strong auroral showings, several of which occurred in 2024, when the sun reached the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, marking a 500-year high in auroral activity.

— Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Both of these carry the signatures of creative openings, bursts of genius, and new ideas being generated.

— Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 July 2026

Definition of bursts

Noun

One of the most devastating explosions ever on the planet—the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima—created a metallic material that was never seen before in a lab or nature.

— Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 29 July 2026
The Perseid meteor shower is also known for its fireballs — explosions of light and color that last longer than a typical meteor streak.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of explosions

Noun

Skywatchers should look north during the darkest hours; smartphone cameras can aid in detecting faint glows.

— Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Your 5th House of Creativity and Play glows as Venus forms an effortless trine to Chiron in your sign, encouraging pleasure that supports personal healing.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 July 2026

Definition of glows

Verb

That burns tokens, slows response times and increases the chances that the model will miss or misread something important.

— Bruce Kelley, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Spain this year has already suffered 22 major forest fires, which is defined as a fire that burns over 500 hectares (1,235 acres).

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026

Definition of burns

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

He was ousted from Dior and his namesake fashion house in 2011 following racist and antisemitic outbursts at a Paris bar.

— Miles Socha, Footwear News, 31 July 2026
Therapy that helped him make friends and control outbursts caused by Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has nearly disappeared, Garcia said.

— Larry Seward, CBS News, 31 July 2026

Definition of outbursts

Noun

Any glares or slight changes in the atmosphere created by the solar panels could become catastrophic, resident Sam Rolph said.

— Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2026
Astronomers have spotted four dead star white dwarf stars playing a game of cosmic hide-and-seek, all four of which were hiding in the glares of red dwarf companion stars.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 July 2026

Definition of glares

Verb

As Robert Spillane works through a quiet camp, fellow inside linebacker Christian Elliss flashes again and again, this time in coverage during 7-on-7s with a pass breakup.

— Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 1 Aug. 2026
Danny Trejo flashes a smile at San Diego’s Comic-Con International on July 25.

— Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026