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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of flame
Abigail Hasebroock, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
Home insurance broadly covers fire damage, but there is a growing dispute over what damage must be covered when flames don't torch the property.
—CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025
Greg Engle, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
The boys drop away and her fingers, illuminated, grow into a mesmerizing fire, flickering at fantastical speed, licking the light, flaming higher and higher.
—Jennifer Homans, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flame
Noun
After crashing, the plane erupted into flames, sending large plumes of smoke up, visible from nearby neighborhoods, schools and Interstate 95.
—Abigail Hasebroock, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
Home insurance broadly covers fire damage, but there is a growing dispute over what damage must be covered when flames don't torch the property.
—CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
So far, at least, the villagers have not tried to storm the castle with flaming torches in protest.
—Greg Engle, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
The boys drop away and her fingers, illuminated, grow into a mesmerizing fire, flickering at fantastical speed, licking the light, flaming higher and higher.
—Jennifer Homans, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flame
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flame
Noun
-
On June 25, 2000, just as the window to call high-school players officially opened, Crean contacted Wade at the home of his high-school sweetheart, Siohvaughn Funches.—
D. Watkins,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2025
-
And in walks the dream of America’s sweetheart, Sandra Dee.—
Alan Light,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Over 12,000 glowing Amazon ratings back up the hype.—
Becca Blond,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Apr. 2025
-
The episode follows Maria (Siena Kelly), a food researcher whose latest project receives a glowing review from a focus group subject named Verity (Rosy McEwen), one of Maria's ex-classmates who was relentlessly bullied in school.—
Joey Nolfi,
EW.com,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Delta flight evacuated before takeoff after flames seen in engine Passengers aboard a Delta flight at Orlando International Airport in Florida were evacuated on Monday after flames were seen erupting from one of the plane’s engines.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2025
-
For a week, Loíza erupts in celebration with parades, bomba performances and colorful processions honoring the town’s patron saint.—
Melissa Rose Cooper,
Essence,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
The historic fantasy of the Great White Way as a glamorous montage of gleaming marquees, sparky backstage romances, and elegant audiences reveling in black tie was a Hollywood concoction, arguably false from the start.—
Frank Rich,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Less than two weeks after Luis Enrique’s appointment, the first team took up residence at the club’s gleaming new training centre, the PSG Campus, in Poissy, 25 kilometres west of central Paris.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Check out this $30 Amazon find that has the most darling leather tassel details.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Apr. 2025
-
This darling cardigan can be worn on its own or paired over a sleeveless or short-sleeve blouse for a layered look.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Buxton was blazing down the line, nearly at the bag by the time Brown picked up the ball.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
4 Apr. 2025
-
South Korea’s largest wildfires on record blazed through the country’s southeast for a seventh day, with firefighters, soldiers and heritage workers racing to evacuate people and save ancient treasures from the encroaching flames.—
Jin Yu Young,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
In the decades following the Clifford Ball, the popularity of music festivals exploded, a trend that Phish inadvertently helped engineer.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
-
One thing is clear: Nationwide injunctions against Trump’s policies by federal district court judges have exploded during his time in the White House, while those against the policies of Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden also increased, but to a much lesser extent.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flame. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share