flare-up

noun
UK: /ˈfleər.ʌp/
US: /ˈfler.ʌp/

  1. A sudden worsening of a disease or condition.

    1. I had a flare-up of my eczema last week.
    2. The patient experienced a flare-up of arthritis after stopping medication.

  2. A sudden burst of anger or other strong emotion.

    1. He had a flare-up with his boss this morning.
    2. The recent flare-up in tensions between the two countries is concerning.

  3. A sudden increase in something, such as violence or conflict.

    1. There was a flare-up of violence in the city last night.
    2. A flare-up of rioting occurred after the announcement of the verdict.

Synonyms

eruption fit burst outbreak tantrum upsurge explosion
flare-up intransitive-verb

  1. To suddenly become worse or more intense.

    1. My skin tends to flare-up in the winter.
    2. Her old knee injury may flare-up if she runs too much.

  2. To suddenly become angry or violent.

    1. He can flare-up easily when he's tired.
    2. The crowd could flare-up at any moment if provoked further.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "flare-up" in English means: A sudden worsening of a disease or condition., A sudden burst of anger or other strong emotion., A sudden increase in something, such as violence or conflict..

The phonetic transcription of "flare-up" is /ˈfleər.ʌp/ in British English and /ˈfler.ʌp/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "flare-up": eruption, fit, burst, outbreak, tantrum, upsurge, explosion.

Example usage of "flare-up": "I had a flare-up of my eczema last week.". More examples on the page.