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

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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

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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

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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

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 Yet Fed officials are sharply split over their next steps and inflation could tick higher in the coming months, particularly if fighting in the Middle East flares. — Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026 Researchers compared two leading treatment options — an antibiotic called azithromycin and roflumilast, an anti-inflammatory drug — to see which provided quicker relief during COPD flares. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 11 Aug. 2026 But David has to look into that void, if only in brief flares. — Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026 Senior leadership from Pakistan and Turkey departed for Saudi Arabia this week, where they are expected to sign a trilateral defense deal as regional violence flares. — Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026 Other ways to reduce flares in the summer include wearing lightweight, breathable fabrics to minimize friction and sweat accumulation on plaques, showering promptly after sweating, and applying emollients to maintain your skin barrier. — Teresa Maalouf, Verywell Health, 6 Aug. 2026 Outside of eclipses, volunteers also use their telescopes to track asteroids, solar vibrations and powerful flares that blast from the surface of the sun. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Verb

Why probiotics matters for sensitive and dry skin If your skin flares up easily, probiotics may help quiet the noise. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 11 Aug. 2026 The only 16mm shot of the film is of Billy (Anderson) looking directly at the camera before the film flares out and switches to the Little Death oner. — Matt Minton, Variety, 9 Aug. 2026 As back-to-school season arrives, Molly O’Shea, a pediatrician and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, told KOAT7 that keeping teens in school matters even when anxiety flares. — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 7 Aug. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flares

Noun

Solar panels produce massive bursts of cheap electricity during midday.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 Aug. 2026
The trick is to hold the can 8 to 10 inches away, and spray in short bursts.

— Iman Balagam, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of bursts

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

Verb

The clip shows the moment of ignition of one of the spacecraft's six Raptor 3 engines, which burns for approximately 15 seconds.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2026
In Figments of Freedom, written, directed by and starring Webber, a Marine goes AWOL, burns his life to ash, and vanishes into America’s fractured heart.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 19 Aug. 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

The outbursts helped relieve some pressure, but Nakashima tightened up as the prospect of making his first Masters 1000 final neared.

— Ava Wallace, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
The McKinney City Council voted late Wednesday night to approve a site plan for a new mosque after a marathon meeting marked by outbursts and hours of public comment.

— Trevor Sochocki, CBS News, 5 Aug. 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