FLARES (UP) Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

flares (up)

verb

present tense third-person singular of flare (up)

as in angers

to become very angry naturally I flared up when he insulted me

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in erupts

to develop suddenly and violently my allergies always flare up in the spring

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flares (up)

Verb

The receptionist angers Kripke and Bert so much that they are picked up by the police — along with Stuart, who had also been arrested.

— Michael Schneider, Variety, 31 July 2026
According to the myth, Agamemnon angers the goddess Artemis by killing one of her sacred deer.

— Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 20 July 2026

Definition of angers

Verb

Cockpit fight erupts The reason for the emergency soon became clearer.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2026
During surveillance, Joe recognizes one of the men involved in her abduction, setting off an operation that erupts into a deadly restaurant shootout.

— Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of erupts

Verb

Day to day, as the city grows, there’s also the question of traffic, which snarls the city as public transit initiatives have repeatedly struggled.

— Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
Security snarls The TSA PreCheck line at terminal B in LaGuardia Airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City, on March 27, 2026.

— Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026

Definition of snarls

Verb

When the gang war that’s been building all along between the Greasers and the Socs finally explodes in the second act, the violence is conveyed through movement, lighting, sound and just all around scenic brilliance.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Continue reading … ‘NEVER-ENDING’ — Huge number of noncitizens found on voter rolls as Mike Lee explodes on 'honor system'.

— , FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of explodes

Verb

Cassel snaps a picture before discovering that Dunham’s beloved Tiffany bean earrings are lost.

— Grace Byron, Vogue, 4 Oct. 2026
Once a band that lived on the high-tension wire of music just about to burst, Hotel Usona finds Protomartyr exploring what happens once that wire snaps.

— David Harris, SPIN, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of snaps

Verb

The stats Vasily Podkolzin breaks out with 30 goals and 22 assists.

— Janson Duench, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
In general, when a trade war breaks out, the smaller economy has more to lose compared to the larger one, said Ari Van Assche, a professor of international business at HEC Montréal who specializes in international trade.

— Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of breaks out

Verb

The movie blows up, and so are do lives—in exciting, but also terrifying, ways.

— Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 21 Sep. 2026
John gets the upper hand and nearly takes the ring, before one of Zoe’s satellite weapons blows up half the motel, forcing Hal to use what little charge is left in the ring to protect himself and John.

— Joe Otterson, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of blows up

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.

Browse Nearby Words

flares (out)

flares (up)

flare (up)

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Flares (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flares%20%28up%29. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of flares (up)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

etiquette

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes