flare-up

noun

1. a sudden burst of fire or light

2. informal,  a sudden burst of emotion or violence

verb

1. to burst suddenly into fire or light

2. informal,  to burst into anger

Idioms and Phrases

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.

Example Sentences

U.S. and Chinese officials at the senior staff level talked on Monday following a flare-up in trade tensions between the two geopolitical rivals, U.S.

Read more on Barron's

Of the latest tariff threats on China, he added, “The flare-up last week is an example of these things that can resurface very quickly and affect the outlook.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The Dutch government wrested control of a Netherlands-based semiconductor company from its Chinese owner, a new flare-up in tensions between China and the West over key technologies and materials.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The flare-up over export controls echoes a dispute that Washington and Beijing supposedly resolved months ago.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Edman has been dealing with the latest flare-up to his long-bothersome ankle injury, having tweaked it again while running down a fly ball in center field in the ninth inning of Tuesday’s win in Arizona.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• blowup 
• epidemic 
• eruption 
• explosion 
• outburst