1
: a sudden outburst or intensification
a flare-up of hostilities
2
: a sudden bursting (as of a smoldering fire) into flame or light
a danger of flare-ups
3
: a sudden appearance or worsening of the symptoms of a disease or condition
an asthmatic flare-up
Examples of flare-up in a Sentence
took medication to prevent a flare-up of her asthma
there's no need for an angry flare-up, as we'll take care of the problem immediately
Recent Examples on the Web
There’s nothing more frustrating than stepping into the shower hoping to calm a flare-up, only to have your cleanser worsen the situation.
—
Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 1 Jan. 2026
Saudi authorities did not immediately comment on the UAE’s decision, but the episode marks a significant flare-up between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, as relationship between the region’s tightest partners grows increasingly strained.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
Gulf stock indexes fell on Tuesday over escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, though the flare-up didn’t dent oil markets.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 30 Dec. 2025
Today, tariffs are distorting international trade, conflict is raging with Russia’s war on Ukraine, there have been flare-ups between Israel and Iran and the US is seizing oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flare-up
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 1 Jan. 2026
Saudi authorities did not immediately comment on the UAE’s decision, but the episode marks a significant flare-up between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, as relationship between the region’s tightest partners grows increasingly strained.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
Gulf stock indexes fell on Tuesday over escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, though the flare-up didn’t dent oil markets.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 30 Dec. 2025
Today, tariffs are distorting international trade, conflict is raging with Russia’s war on Ukraine, there have been flare-ups between Israel and Iran and the US is seizing oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flare-up
Cite this Entry
“Flare-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flare-up. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
flare-up
noun
: a sudden appearance or worsening of the symptoms of a disease or condition
an asthmatic flare-up
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share