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Synonyms

fan the flames

Idioms  

  1. Intensify or stir up feelings; exacerbate an explosive situation. For example, She already found him attractive, but his letters really fanned the flames, or His speech fanned the flames of racial dissension.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It prompted the president of the National Electoral Council, Ana Paola Hall, to warn all parties "not to fan the flames of confrontation or violence".

From BBC

It also appears designed not to fan the flames before the weekend.

From BBC

Rather than fan the flames of a recently intense division rivalry, he advocated for calm.

From Los Angeles Times

In court documents, Drake claimed that Universal knew that Lamar's lyrics were false but "continued to fan the flames" of the controversy for profit.

From BBC

A host of celebrities have told how they have lost their properties, while officials have warned more high winds could further fan the flames of the wildfires.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.