as in sweetheart
a person with whom one is in love
decided to look up an old flame while she was in town
Synonyms & Similar Words
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1
as in to glow
to be on fire especially brightly
guests gathered around as the Yule log flamed brightly in the inn's great stone fireplace
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to erupt
to develop suddenly and violently
my anger flamed when the usher told my friend to shut up
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
4
as in to gleam
to shoot forth bursts of light
the actress's ruby necklace flamed dazzlingly under the bright lights
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flame
Chloe Yang, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2025
This can cause the airflow to slow down, stagnate, or even reverse, potentially resulting in backfire-like sounds and visible flames from the engine inlet or exhaust.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Peter Debruge, Variety, 2 July 2025
Chicago Cubs almost certainly remember Anthony Rizzo's flaming hot streak in the leadoff spot in the order.
—Andrew Wright, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for flame
Noun
Sailors battling the flames received assistance from the crew of the USS San Diego, a similar ship moored nearby, along with the Japanese military and coast guard.
—Chloe Yang, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2025
This can cause the airflow to slow down, stagnate, or even reverse, potentially resulting in backfire-like sounds and visible flames from the engine inlet or exhaust.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
It’s been a long time since either country was led by someone who could credibly leap from a moving train or parachute out of a flaming plane (compared to America’s last couple presidents, who’ve stumbled when boarding Air Force One).
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 2 July 2025
Chicago Cubs almost certainly remember Anthony Rizzo's flaming hot streak in the leadoff spot in the order.
—Andrew Wright, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for flame
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flame
Noun
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Similarly, Bongiovi’s parents, iconic rocker Jon Bon Jovi and wife Dorothea Hurley, were high school sweethearts who married young.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Aug. 2025
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Married to his no-nonsense high school sweetheart Maggie (Liz White) and set to ply the family trade until his body gives in, he’s built a stable life for himself, but not an especially soul-nourishing one.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Flaky croissants warm in glowing bakeries, accordion notes drift through the air, and lovers linger by the Seine.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts will glow orange, as well.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The clash erupted after a tense debate, during which the Morena Party and its allies reportedly accused PRI and the conservative National Action Party lawmakers of calling for U.S. military intervention in Mexico, a claim the opposing parties denied, according to the New York Post.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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More than 150 others, some of them children, are still facing sedition charges five years after Thai pro-democracy protests erupted in 2020.—
Stephen Townley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The pair, who met as college undergrads, both burned with idealism and recognized their privilege could be leveraged for a game-changing idea.—
Carole Horst,
Variety,
13 Sep. 2023
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The Ellen MacArthur Foundation promotes circular fashion and says that, in the United States, an amount of clothing equal to a garbage truck is ferried to landfills or burned every second.—
Neeti Mehra,
Treehugger,
13 Sep. 2023
Verb
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Four gleaming minaret-style towers welcome visitors to Alys Beach and a stretch of the scenic highway flanked by towering palm trees.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
21 Aug. 2025
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Gimlet’s offices were all start-up pizzazz — designer furniture, gleaming cutting-edge equipment, break rooms stocked with free sparkling water and a cornucopia of snacks.—
Eric Benson,
Rolling Stone,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The brand’s latest Color Series Mason jar collection nods to classic designs of the past, with darling details that bring nostalgic charm to any space whether they’re used in the kitchen for food storage or around the house as decor.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
13 Aug. 2025
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Milwaukee has arguably moved ahead of Tampa Bay and Cleveland as baseball’s small-market darling.—
Sahadev Sharma,
New York Times,
10 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Larsen blazed another trail in 1979 by running for Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge.—
Jeff Suess,
The Enquirer,
21 Aug. 2025
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Powdery mildew coats the leaves of roses and zinnias, blazing heat withers your veggies, and weeds are the only plants that seem to be thriving.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In 1968: France became the world’s fifth thermonuclear power, exploding a hydrogen bomb in a test on French Polynesia.—
DAILY BRIEFING,
AZCentral.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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Another Starship exploded on a test stand in June at SpaceX's sprawling rocket development facility in South Texas.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
24 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flame. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
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