fan the flames

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

After sparking the online outrage with his post, Harrison appeared on Steve Bannon’s show later that day to fan the flames, railing against the San Marcos-based university for offering the course.

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

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The government has failed us on social media as badly as it failed us in traditional media, and in so doing, the government helped fan the flames of extremism.

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These are the kind of ingredients that could fan the flames in the Epstein story as summer turns to autumn.

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

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• aggravate 
• annoy 
• heighten 
• inflame 
• intensify 
• irritate 
• provoke 
• worsen