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flare

flare

39 3.7
A sudden bright light or flame that appears briefly
  • noun
  • /flɛr/
translation icon : destello
  • Streaks of purple and pink, flares of soft red began twisting around it.
  • a solar flare
  • a giant flare
  • a powerful flare

So we've covered AI, the solar flare issue.

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Examples

  • Solar physicists expect a flare's initial impulse to show up as gamma rays.

    Academic text (2003)
  • The weather center has now issued a statement... ...that it may have been some kind of very intense solar flare.

  • The light from the flare fades on them, and they stand in the dark.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • The hot coals touched off a flare of dried leaves on one branch of wood.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • When the emergency signal was sent, a bright flare lit up the night sky, guiding the rescue team to the stranded hikers.

  • The fisherman used a red flare to signal that he was in distress after his boat capsized.

  • During the concert, a series of colorful flares illuminated the stage, creating a stunning visual display.

Synonyms

flash
vsflare
273 1.7

A sudden, brief burst of bright light, for example from a camera

includes sudden bright flame as well as brief light
burst of fire
vsflare
1 5.7

A sudden strong flash of flames or energy that happens quickly

is milder and can mean just a short bright light not flames
coruscation
vsflare
  • Literature
9.9

A sudden bright flash of light or a quick, sharp display of wit

focuses more on simple brief light than on showy brilliance

Antonyms

534 1.0

A time or place with almost no light

4 3.4

Low light that makes it hard to see

Compounds

solar flare
  • Specialized
12 6.5

A sudden burst of strong energy from the sun that can disrupt radio and satellite signals

11 6.0

A sudden increase in violence, anger, or symptoms

flare pass
  • Jargon
7.0

A short forward pass to a player running toward the sideline in American football

flare path
  • Specialized
8.3

A line of lights showing the edge of a runway to guide pilots at night or in fog

flare star
  • Specialized
9.7

A small red star that suddenly becomes much brighter for a few minutes because of explosions on its surface

How Bright

blaze
70 3.5
flare
39 3.7
flash
273 1.7
gleam
34 2.9
glimmer
10 3.7

Surface Forms

flare singular
flares plural

Etymology

Flare comes from an old word for 'flame' or 'to burn', just like the common word flame, so it brings to mind a quick, bright fire. That's why a flare can mean a sudden burst of light or flame.