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Synonyms

flare-up

British  

noun

  1. a sudden burst of fire or light

  2. informal a sudden burst of emotion or violence

"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

verb

  1. to burst suddenly into fire or light

  2. informal to burst into anger

"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
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.

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.

Munir -- in a Western business suit rather than army fatigues -- visited Washington with Sharif last year after a flare-up in hostilities between Pakistan and India in divided Kashmir.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

What is unfolding now is not just another geopolitical flare-up that will soon subside.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

Speaking to the theatrical experience, Spielberg made a brief allusion to the flare-up around comments by Timothée Chalamet regarding the popularity of opera and ballet in relation to the movies.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

It was the last flare-up of a confrontational night, one that ends with Arsenal having their destiny in their own hands as they stand eight games from title glory.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

When I’m nervous or sad I also fall prey to the awful itch from filaires, tiny parasites that crawl into your pores and cause a flare-up every so often.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

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.