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flaming

American  
[fley-ming] / ˈfleɪ mɪŋ /

adjective

  1. emitting flames; blazing; burning; fiery.

  2. like a flame in brilliance, heat, or shape.

  3. intensely ardent or passionate.

    flaming youth.

  4. Informal. (used as an intensifier).

    What a flaming idiot!

  5. Informal: Usually Disparaging and Offensive. (especially of a man) blatantly gay.

flaming British  
/ ˈfleɪmɪŋ /

adjective

  1. burning with or emitting flames

  2. glowing brightly; brilliant

  3. intense or ardent; vehement; passionate

    a flaming temper

  4. informal (intensifier)

    you flaming idiot

  5. an obsolete word for flagrant

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • flamingly adverb
  • unflaming adjective

Etymology

Origin of flaming

First recorded in 1350–1400, flaming is from the Middle English word flammande; flame , -ing 2

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.

Next best thing: Meteors flaming across the sky during the August 12-13 Perseid shower peak promise the brightest show in years.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

The sky blacked by the smoke from flaming vehicles was visible from Saunders's suite in a luxury hotel along Puerto Vallarta's main strip.

From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026

Some of her favourite moments include Beaker losing his eyeballs in a science experiment and Gonzo wearing flaming roller skates - to give a flavour of the chaos.

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026

The film contains more than 1,000 digital fire FX shots, ranging from flaming arrows and flamethrowers to massive explosions and fire tornadoes.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025

Later, they burned a flaming arrow that would not quit.

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

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.