1
as in bursts
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity
a flare in gift card sales around graduation time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in explosions
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
ended the quarrel with a stunning flare of swearwords
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in glows
the steady giving off of the form of radiation that makes vision possible
in the darkness the flare of a single match might be seen by enemy troops
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in burns
to shine with a bright harsh light
floodlights flaring into the forbidding empty spaces surrounding the prison
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flares
Ella Gonzales
april 1, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
During the incident, the fighter jets deployed flares, officials confirmed.
—Stephen Smith, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
The flares were used to draw attention from or communicate with the pilot.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Jeep boosted the donor vehicle’s ride height by two inches, equipped it with wider fender flares to accommodate its 33-inch all-terrain tires, and added a custom cooler disguised like an old Apple Macintosh Plus.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 27 Mar. 2026
Jeep also reshaped the wheel arches for better clearance—a nice touch—with carbon flares.
—Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 26 Mar. 2026
By then the oil companies, mindful of the world’s disapproving eyes, had positioned the gas flares among the vegetation and pointed the flames horizontally to limit their visibility from a distance.
—Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
Videos obtained by the Associated Press show cars and homes set ablaze as army flares lighted up the sky near the village east of Nablus and next to the Israeli settlement of Elon Moreh.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Videos obtained by The Associated Press show cars and homes set ablaze as army flares light up the sky near the village east of Nablus and next to the Israeli settlement of Elon Moreh.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 23 Mar. 2026
Julia Daye, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2026
The rear light flares bright when braking to add visibility for trailing riders and drivers.
—Erica Zazo, Outside, 27 Mar. 2026
With less than seven weeks left in the regular season, runways can shorten quickly if an injury flares up again.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
The swishy Zesica Sleeveless Maxi Dress checks all my boxes, as the asymmetrical top is designed to sit lower on one side, and slightly flares out into a flowy pleated skirt that twirls nicely and allows for a full range of movement.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2026
The dress also appeared to have a wider skirt that flares out at the hem, which had a scalloped trim.
—Tara Larson, Footwear News, 27 Dec. 2025
Incredibly, the mounds, which are also known as gas hydrate cold seeps, release methane gas flares some 3,300 meters up into the water—the tallest such flares ever recorded.
—Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 25 Dec. 2025
Unlike typical wide-leg jeans, this style flares out at the knee and subtly cinches back toward the ankle.
—Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
The fender flares, big tire footprint, and rugged stance harken back to the 4Runner’s heritage, but with a sharper modern edge from Toyota’s Calty design studio in California.
—New Atlas, 22 Nov. 2025
Noun
An affordable version of Bocca Italian in South Main serves Roman style pizzas and tasty appetizers with Latin and Mediterranean flares.
—Ella Gonzales
april 1, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
During the incident, the fighter jets deployed flares, officials confirmed.
—Stephen Smith, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
The flares were used to draw attention from or communicate with the pilot.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Jeep boosted the donor vehicle’s ride height by two inches, equipped it with wider fender flares to accommodate its 33-inch all-terrain tires, and added a custom cooler disguised like an old Apple Macintosh Plus.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 27 Mar. 2026
Jeep also reshaped the wheel arches for better clearance—a nice touch—with carbon flares.
—Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 26 Mar. 2026
By then the oil companies, mindful of the world’s disapproving eyes, had positioned the gas flares among the vegetation and pointed the flames horizontally to limit their visibility from a distance.
—Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
Videos obtained by the Associated Press show cars and homes set ablaze as army flares lighted up the sky near the village east of Nablus and next to the Israeli settlement of Elon Moreh.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Videos obtained by The Associated Press show cars and homes set ablaze as army flares light up the sky near the village east of Nablus and next to the Israeli settlement of Elon Moreh.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
There’s a funny reason why the pain flares in your upper face and forehead, a bit of a distance from the area responsible for the cold.
—Julia Daye, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2026
The rear light flares bright when braking to add visibility for trailing riders and drivers.
—Erica Zazo, Outside, 27 Mar. 2026
With less than seven weeks left in the regular season, runways can shorten quickly if an injury flares up again.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
The swishy Zesica Sleeveless Maxi Dress checks all my boxes, as the asymmetrical top is designed to sit lower on one side, and slightly flares out into a flowy pleated skirt that twirls nicely and allows for a full range of movement.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2026
The dress also appeared to have a wider skirt that flares out at the hem, which had a scalloped trim.
—Tara Larson, Footwear News, 27 Dec. 2025
Incredibly, the mounds, which are also known as gas hydrate cold seeps, release methane gas flares some 3,300 meters up into the water—the tallest such flares ever recorded.
—Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 25 Dec. 2025
Unlike typical wide-leg jeans, this style flares out at the knee and subtly cinches back toward the ankle.
—Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
The fender flares, big tire footprint, and rugged stance harken back to the 4Runner’s heritage, but with a sharper modern edge from Toyota’s Calty design studio in California.
—New Atlas, 22 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flares
Noun
-
Videos recorded by passengers show sparks and bursts of flame coming from the engine, lighting up the night sky as the aircraft gained altitude.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The Poison frontman, evoking the regional dialect of his native Pittsburgh, bursts with adrenaline on a typical day.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Authorities reinforced security around Jewish sites in the wake of explosions last month outside synagogues in Liege, Belgium, and the Dutch port city of Rotterdam and outside a Jewish school in Amsterdam.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The special effects supervisor on a movie set is responsible for designing and executing practical, in-camera effects such as explosions, pyrotechnics, rigs, and atmospheric elements.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Once you're set up, use your phone to scan the skies for faint hazy glows.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
31 Mar. 2026
-
These glows lasted up to three seconds, often moving from leaf to leaf.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
For instance, walking at a brisk pace generally increases total energy expenditure and burns more calories per minute.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Chewing on the bulbs can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea, profuse drooling and burns to the mouth.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Curry magic, Curry flurries, Curry bringing an arena to its feet.—
Sports Columnist,
San Francisco Chronicle,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The light snow flurries in the Tahoe area this week after a spell of record-setting March heatwaves across California were not enough to reverse the damage.—
Chaewon Chung,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Backlash was immediate given the rapper’s history of antisemitic outbursts.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Right now, the sun is finally moving out of several years of solar maximum—but as this week’s outbursts show, our star is not yet quiet.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Since it was released at the end of 2023, the hulking, angular vehicle has been subject to jokes about its appearance and glares from people who disagree with CEO Elon Musk’s politics.—
Andrea Guzmán,
Austin American Statesman,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Saab recommends combining overhead lighting with wall sconces and table lamps to lend more flexibility while also avoiding harsh glares.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
There are preventable measles outbreaks in the US.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Mar. 2026
-
In contrast, egg prices have dropped sharply following a period of unprecedented highs caused largely by bird flu outbreaks.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flares.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flares. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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