flame

American  

[flaym] / fleɪm /

noun

• flames
  plural

1. burning gas or vapor, as from wood or coal, that is undergoing combustion; a portion of ignited gas or vapor.

   Synonyms:

   fire

2. Often flames the state or condition of blazing combustion.

   to burst into flames.

3. any flamelike condition; glow; inflamed condition.

4. brilliant light; scintillating luster.

5. bright coloring; a streak or patch of color.

6. flame color.

7. intense ardor, zeal, or passion.

8. Informal. an object of one's passionate love; sweetheart.

   He's taking out his new flame tonight.

9. Computer Slang. an angry, critical, or disparaging electronic message, as an online comment.

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verb (used without object)

• flames,
  present (3rd person singular)
• flamed,
  past participle,  past
• flaming
  present participle

1. to burn with a flame or flames; burst into flames; blaze.

2. to glow like flame; shine brilliantly; flash.

3. to burn or burst forth with strong emotion; break into open anger, indignation, etc.

4. Computer Slang. to post an angry, critical, or disparaging electronic message, as an online comment.

verb (used with object)

• flames,
  present (3rd person singular)
• flamed,
  past participle,  past
• flaming
  present participle

1. to subject to the action of flame or fire.

2. to flambé.

3. Computer Slang. to insult or criticize angrily in an online post or comment.

verb phrase

1. flame out

   1. (of a jet engine) to cease to function due to an interruption of the fuel supply or to faulty combustion.

   2. to burst out in or as if in flames.

flame British  

/ fleɪm /

noun

1. a hot usually luminous body of burning gas often containing small incandescent particles, typically emanating in flickering streams from burning material or produced by a jet of ignited gas

2. (often plural) the state or condition of burning with flames

   to burst into flames

3. a brilliant light; fiery glow

4. 1. a strong reddish-orange colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      a flame carpet

5. intense passion or ardour; burning emotion

6. informal a lover or sweetheart (esp in the phrase an old flame )

7. informal an abusive message sent by electronic mail, esp to express anger or criticism of an internet user

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verb

1. to burn or cause to burn brightly; give off or cause to give off flame

2. (intr) to burn or glow as if with fire; become red or fiery

   his face flamed with anger

3. (intr) to show great emotion; become angry or excited

4. (tr) to apply a flame to (something)

5. archaic (tr) to set on fire, either physically or with emotion

6. informal to send an abusive message by electronic mail

flame Scientific  

/ flām /

1. The hot, glowing mixture of burning gases and tiny particles that arises from combustion. Flames get their light either from the fluorescence of molecules or ions that have become excited, or from the incandescence of solid particles involved in the combustion process, such as the carbon particles from a candle.

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flame Idioms  

1. see add fuel to the fire (flames); burst into (flames); fan the flames; go up in flames; shoot down (in flames).

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Synonym Usage

Flame, blaze, conflagration refer to the light and heat given off by combustion. Flame is the common word, referring to a combustion of any size: the light of a match flame. Blaze usually denotes a quick, hot, bright, and comparatively large flame: The fire burst into a blaze. Conflagration refers to destructive flames which spread over a considerable area: A conflagration destroyed Chicago.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• flamelet
  noun
• flamer
  noun
• underflame
  noun
• outflame
  verb (used with object)
• flameless
  adjective
• flamelike
  adjective
• flamy
  adjective
• preflame
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• flames
  plural

Participles

• flaming
  present
• flamed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• flame
  simple
• flames
  simple
• have flamed
  perfect
• has flamed
  perfect
• am flaming
  progressive
• are flaming
  progressive
• is flaming
  progressive
• have been flaming
  perfect progressive
• has been flaming
  perfect progressive

Past

• flamed
  simple
• had flamed
  perfect
• was flaming
  progressive
• were flaming
  progressive
• had been flaming
  perfect progressive

Future

• will flame
  simple
• will have flamed
  perfect
• will be flaming
  progressive
• will have been flaming
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of flame

First recorded in 1300–50; (noun) Middle English flaume, from Anglo-French, variant of flaumbe; Old French flambe, earlier flamble, from Latin flammula, diminutive of flamma “flame” ( see -ule); (verb) Middle English flaumen, from Anglo-French flaum(b)er; Old French flamber, from Latin flammāre, derivative of flamma

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Explanation

The flame of a fire produces light and heat and often flickers or dances. As a verb, to flame is to be on fire or to flare up. On the Internet, flame has a different meaning: to post or send aggressive, negative, or insulting messages in a public electronic forum. "Flame wars" are exchanges of such messages between individuals or parties and often occur behind a veil of anonymity. It's an appropriate term, given that inflammatory, which takes flame as its root, describes speech or action that tends to incite a heightened and negative response.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

flame flames flamed flaming

Be it with candles or the pine sticks preferred in Sagada, lighting a flame is "inviting the presence of Christ with us, having fellowship with our departed loved ones", he said.

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

Security video of the facility, released by police, shows a small flame suddenly appearing in the dark room of the storage facility, eventually growing into a fire and filling the room with smoke.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

This city of dreaming spires has lit the Promethean flame under poets and artists for centuries, but its latest architectural offering—20-yard rail and foot bridges connecting Oxford Station over Botley Road—has underwhelmed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

Pete describes it as one of the most challenging environments he has ever flown in, with "multiple walls of flame", personnel and vehicles moving around the site and helicopters operating overhead.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026

With his hand poised above the tooth, he moved the flame slowly to and fro.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

Firefighters were called to the scene of a bonfire shortly after 19:00, with one fire engine called out to extinguish the flames.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

He played a video showing material briefly burning before the flames died.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

He also suggested the community's response to the incident was an example for others to follow, after locals rallied around to support those fighting the flames.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

The people of Sagada did not always light flames over their dead, or even bury them.

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

She felt the flames growing hotter and taller as the seconds ticked away, but she didn’t know what to do.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

The 1988 presidential campaign of Alexander Haig, a former four-star general who served as Ronald Reagan’s first secretary of state, flamed out amid GOP infighting over the Iran–Contra affair.

From Slate ● Apr. 6, 2026

Iowa, which flamed out to No. 10 seed Virginia in the second round last week, could have simply been less prepared than other tournament teams.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026

“Every one of these flamed out,” he reports.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 8, 2026

Other standouts included flamed A5 wagyu topped with foie gras and melt-in-your-mouth hamachi in yuzu and soy, finished with serrano and a dollop of sriracha.

From Salon ● Feb. 2, 2026

It flared and flamed, illuminating the inside of the hall.

From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman

Showing her aching vulnerability, it's about a bank clerk with flaming locks of auburn hair who flirted with her husband.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

We have to imagine, for instance, Ron DiFrancesco riding a broken slab of drywall down a flaming stairwell and becoming the last known person to escape the South Tower before it collapsed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

A flaming ear of corn transforms into a crankshaft.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026

Parkkonen, who appears on stage as enigmatic and brooding while lamenting his unanswered love next to a flaming confessional, hoped the song will serve as "a helping hand".

From Barron's ● Apr. 30, 2026

The giant poinsettias in the courtyard looked like flaming torches.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez

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Related Words

• blaze
• conflagration
• flare
• flash
• light
• spark
• wildfire

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