1
as in bursts
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity
a flare in gift card sales around graduation time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in explosions
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
ended the quarrel with a stunning flare of swearwords
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of flares
Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2026
The bursts of radiation from the flares triggered strong radio blackouts on the sunlit side of Earth — the first affecting parts of the Pacific Ocean and Australia and the second impacting East Asia.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2026
The radiation from the flares reached Earth quickly and disturbed the ionosphere, the upper atmospheric layer that carries many radio and navigation signals.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 24 Apr. 2026
In the evening, the whole place twinkles from the lights of a hundred lanterns and flares, which also serve to keep away mosquitoes.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
The American Academy of Dermatology notes that polyester and synthetic fibers can directly trigger eczema flares, per Medical News Today’s breakdown of eczema-safe fabrics.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
Benfica’s ultras, the Diabos Vermelhos, turned up and set off flares throughout the game.
—Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2026
The quality of her sleep seemed linked to migraine flares.
—Allison Aubrey, NPR, 20 Apr. 2026
But along the way, crew and passengers spotted emergency flares from a vessel in distress.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Mark Marino, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 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
But then, in April 2019, his illness flares.
—Courtney Crowder, USA Today, 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
The rear light flares bright when braking to add visibility for trailing riders and drivers.
—Erica Zazo, Outside, 27 Mar. 2026
With less than seven weeks left in the regular season, runways can shorten quickly if an injury flares up again.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
The swishy Zesica Sleeveless Maxi Dress checks all my boxes, as the asymmetrical top is designed to sit lower on one side, and slightly flares out into a flowy pleated skirt that twirls nicely and allows for a full range of movement.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2026
The dress also appeared to have a wider skirt that flares out at the hem, which had a scalloped trim.
—Tara Larson, Footwear News, 27 Dec. 2025
Noun
An adjustable tie waistband allows for a comfortable fit while the fabric hugs the curves of your hips and flares at mid-calf for a fun, spring-ready finish.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2026
The bursts of radiation from the flares triggered strong radio blackouts on the sunlit side of Earth — the first affecting parts of the Pacific Ocean and Australia and the second impacting East Asia.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2026
The radiation from the flares reached Earth quickly and disturbed the ionosphere, the upper atmospheric layer that carries many radio and navigation signals.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 24 Apr. 2026
In the evening, the whole place twinkles from the lights of a hundred lanterns and flares, which also serve to keep away mosquitoes.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
The American Academy of Dermatology notes that polyester and synthetic fibers can directly trigger eczema flares, per Medical News Today’s breakdown of eczema-safe fabrics.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
Benfica’s ultras, the Diabos Vermelhos, turned up and set off flares throughout the game.
—Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2026
The quality of her sleep seemed linked to migraine flares.
—Allison Aubrey, NPR, 20 Apr. 2026
But along the way, crew and passengers spotted emergency flares from a vessel in distress.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
At the same time, flares themselves are stressful, creating a vicious cycle in which symptoms and emotional distress feed into each other.
—Mark Marino, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 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
But then, in April 2019, his illness flares.
—Courtney Crowder, USA Today, 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
The rear light flares bright when braking to add visibility for trailing riders and drivers.
—Erica Zazo, Outside, 27 Mar. 2026
With less than seven weeks left in the regular season, runways can shorten quickly if an injury flares up again.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
The swishy Zesica Sleeveless Maxi Dress checks all my boxes, as the asymmetrical top is designed to sit lower on one side, and slightly flares out into a flowy pleated skirt that twirls nicely and allows for a full range of movement.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2026
The dress also appeared to have a wider skirt that flares out at the hem, which had a scalloped trim.
—Tara Larson, Footwear News, 27 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flares
Noun
-
Kay describes the aesthetic of the record in bursts.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Sycamore’s story is told in short bursts that immerse the reader into the present moment, creating a sense of urgency in the exploration of self, art, and family.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Every once in a while, the TV would display the now ubiquitous images of Suspect One and Suspect Two, who had been caught by surveillance cameras, wearing backpacks and strolling near the finish line moments before the explosions.—
Saïd Sayrafiezadeh,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
-
In Bamako, sustained gunfire and explosions were heard near the main airport, forcing the cancellation of incoming and outgoing flights.—
Jewel Bright,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Come evening, the pizza oven glows or a local farm-to-table chef cooks as the light fades.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The blue-white light of the star Spica will be visible twinkling to the upper right of the lunar disk in the constellation Virgo, while the red supergiant Arcturus glows to its upper left in Bootes.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The bathroom is situated next to the kitchen and is notable for having an incinerating toilet – as its name implies, this burns waste to ash.—
Adam Williams
April 23,
New Atlas,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The facility is positioned as a potential model for decarbonizing aviation, which burns roughly 100 billion gallons of jet fuel per year globally.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The latest flurries that dusted parts of the Sierra Nevada this week are unlikely to do much to ease California’s snow drought.—
Chaewon Chung,
Sacbee.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
As the rain and snow fall, flurries can melt, mix together and refreeze just before hitting the ground, according to Jackson Macfarlane, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Boise office.—
Hali Smith
April 14,
Idaho Statesman,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Before the emotional outbursts at the meeting Thursday, Kinnear-Rausch, Little and Williams all expressed their heartbreak over the death of Jaxon and pledged to fix problems that led to the tragedy.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
But, unexpectedly, its film version released that same year became a midnight movie phenom, marked by its impromptu audience outbursts and eventually becoming a counter-culture landmark, widening the generational divide even further.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Since it was released at the end of 2023, the hulking, angular vehicle has been subject to jokes about its appearance and glares from people who disagree with CEO Elon Musk’s politics.—
Andrea Guzmán,
Austin American Statesman,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Saab recommends combining overhead lighting with wall sconces and table lamps to lend more flexibility while also avoiding harsh glares.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Nearly 50 million people across the Plains and Midwest are on alert for severe weather outbreaks, including tornadoes, from Sunday into Monday.—
Kyle Reiman,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Parasitic flies have caused outbreaks in Central America and Mexico, which is a primary supplier of cattle to the United States.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flares.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flares. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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