to fan the flames
8
7.2
- idiom
- Informal
:
avivar las llamas
- The constant arguing between the leaders only served to fan the flames of the existing tensions.
Examples
-
The events that the Iraq war set in motion will fan the flames of liberty for generations to come.
Blog text (25) -
Any other approach runs the risk of fanning the flames of conflict and sparking a detrimental arms race.
Academic text (2016) -
You fan the flames of a civil war.
-
So, I don't want to fan the flames.
-
When I opposed the war, I warned that it would fan the flames of extremism in the Middle East.
Blog text (12) -
Why does China seem to be fanning the flames of its row with Japan in the East China Sea?
Blog text (6) -
Instead of diffusing the situation, my hilarity only fanned the flames.
Fiction book (1992) -
Napoleon wrote that military blunders and domestic catastrophes... ...fanned the flames of the French Revolution.
-
Castro is also trying to fan the flames of Cuban nationalism in order to divert attention from Cuba's growing crisis.
Academic text (1990) -
President Clinton publicly suggested in 1995 that conservative talk radio had fanned the flames of societal unrest that led to the Oklahoma City bombing.
Academic text (2000)
Synonyms
177
4.3
To make feelings, arguments or actions stronger
131
3.7
To make someone feel a strong emotion
115
3.7
Cause a reaction or feeling
70
4.1
Make people feel excited and ready to act
48
4.8
To make people feel strong emotions like anger or fear
47
4.4
To cause strong feelings in someone
37
4.0
To cause a situation to become more difficult or unpleasant
36
6.9
To cause something bad to start
31
5.8
To make people's feelings stronger, especially anger or hate
26
4.2
Make a situation more urgent to force someone to act
21
8.4
To cause people to start trouble or violence
12
4.5
To make a bad situation worse by saying or doing something that hurts someone more
8
8.0
To cause trouble by saying things to make people argue
8
6.8
Make someone angry or annoyed on purpose by teasing them
7
5.9
To make a bad situation worse by saying or doing something that makes people angrier
7
5.6
To add fuel or stir a fire to make it burn hotter
7
5.9
To make a feeling like anger or hate grow stronger
6
4.0
Make people feel excited or upset and attract attention
6
7.0
To cause someone to feel very angry
5
5.3
To cause fights or problems between people on purpose
2
4.8
To put extra fuel on a fire or make a disagreement worse
1
7.0
To cause many people to show strong public anger or criticism
1
7.4
Make people more angry and cause conflict between groups
1
9.1
To make someone angry
1
7.7
To make many people feel angry or shocked about something
1
7.3
Make a bad situation worse by what you say or do
1
5.4
Cause strong arguments about a topic, often on public issues
To make a bad situation worse by saying or doing something
To make feelings like anger or excitement stronger
To cause trouble between people to get attention
To say or do things that cause arguments and make people angry
To make something start to burn, like a fire or a strong feeling
To cause a lot of trouble and anger among people
To cause disagreement between people or groups
Antonyms
How Intense
- NSFW
72
7.7
48
4.8
- Informal
8
7.2
31
5.8
177
4.3
115
3.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase maps directly from the literal action of fanning to make flames grow to the figurative sense of increasing or intensifying a conflict or emotion, so a learner who knows 'fan' (to increase/stir up) and 'flame' can plausibly infer the meaning. This metaphor is common cross-linguistically (e.g., Spanish 'avivar las llamas', 'echar leña al fuego'), which supports immediate comprehension rather than an idiosyncratic idiom.
Etymology
Fan the flames comes from the image of using a fan to blow on flames, which makes a small fire grow bigger. That's why it now means 'to make a situation or feeling worse or more intense'.