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• flare-up
  flare-up

  noun

  a sudden burst of fire or light
• flare up
  flare up

  Suddenly become angry, as in She flared up at the slightest provocation. This metaphoric expression, dating from the mid-1800s, transfers a sudden burst of flame to sudden rage.

flare-up

British  

noun

1. a sudden burst of fire or light

2. informal a sudden burst of emotion or violence

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verb

1. to burst suddenly into fire or light

2. informal to burst into anger

flare up Idioms  

1. Suddenly become angry, as in She flared up at the slightest provocation. This metaphoric expression, dating from the mid-1800s, transfers a sudden burst of flame to sudden rage.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

flare-up flare up

Oil prices continued to decline on Wednesday as concerns over another military flare-up in the Middle East receded.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

Even so, the latest flare-up between the U.S. and Canada adds to the risks for both economies, especially if it should spiral out of control.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

Disputes over control of the strait has been at the center of the recent flare-up.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

Crude oil prices leapt more than four percent as the fresh Middle East flare-up revived fears over global supplies usually shipped through the pivotal Strait of Hormuz.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

I get my treatments, I take my medicine, I drink my body weight in milk shakes, I get to see Barb and Julie, I leave until my next flare-up.

From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott

California’s struggling wine industry says it expects to take another hit as trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada flare up again.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

But Apple’s “go-slow” strategy comes in handy on days when investor concerns about AI overspending flare up, insulating the stock from downturns that hit the semiconductor space.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

So both sides have incentives to avoid a major flare up.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

Katie described how Yann would "flare up" if he was in a room with any of his allergens.

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026

Some streets away from the square, I see a blaze flare up.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

Related Words

• blowup
• epidemic
• eruption
• explosion
• outburst