flame
1 of 2noun
ˈflām 
1
: the glowing gaseous part of a fire
2
a
: a state of blazing combustion
the car burst into flame
b
: a condition or appearance suggesting a flame or burning: such as
(1)
: burning zeal or passion
(2)
: a strong reddish-orange color
3
: brilliance, brightness
4
: sweetheart sense 2
5
: the memory, reputation, or beliefs of a deceased person
broadly : memory
keeper of the flame
6
: an angry, hostile, or abusive electronic message
flame
2 of 2verb
flamed; flaming
intransitive verb
1
: to burn with a flame : blaze
2
a
: to burst or break out violently or passionately
flaming with indignation
b
: to send an angry, hostile, or abusive electronic message
3
: to shine brightly : glow
color flaming up in her cheeks
transitive verb
1
: to send or convey by means of flame
flame a message by signal fires
2
: to treat or affect with flame: such as
a
: to sear, sterilize, or destroy by fire
b
: flambé
3
: to send an angry, hostile, or abusive electronic message to or about
flamer noun
Synonyms
Noun
- beloved
- darling
- dear
- hon
- honey
- love
- squeeze [slang]
- sweet
- sweetheart
- sweetie
- sweetie pie
- truelove
Verb
- blaze
- burn
- combust
- glow
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun the flame of a candle We built a fire and roasted marshmallows over the flames. They tried to put out the fire, but the flames grew higher. The engine burst into flame. Verb A fire flamed in the oven. The sun flamed through the clouds. color flaming in her cheeks See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Dan Diclerico, Good Housekeeping, 15 Sep. 2022 The actual audio, like his wife’s wiretapped conversation with an old flame, could be listened to for a fee. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2022 Owners say the restaurant brings the centuries-old cooking technique of churrasco — roasting prime cuts of meat over an open flame. Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2022 Going back to an old flame may be ill-advised, but going back to your old job might be a great idea. Jane Thier, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2022 Returning to a favorite restaurant after a long spell is like encountering an old flame: Will there still be sparks? Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 22 Aug. 2022 During a break, his daughters, wife Judy, and niece Jen collected sticks to fashion a rotisserie spit and then roasted the birds over an open flame. Rachel Ng, Outside Online, 27 July 2022 This bright sauce elevates and balances anything cooked over an open flame. Chris Morris, BostonGlobe.com, 1 July 2022 Charring a tortilla over an open flame has always seemed unnecessarily risky to me, especially considering how beautifully a tortilla takes to a very hot cast-iron pan, and, in my experience, the broiler does wonders on peppers and eggplant. Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 1 July 2022 Lauren Oster, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 July 2022 There was one hint of the scares at the end of Episode 1 as Elle meets up with the English industrialist whose eyes flame unnaturally. John Hopewell, Variety, 18 June 2022 Old feuds flame up at Alexia’s bachelorette party and Larsa decides to move forward with selling her family home. Olivia Mccormack, Washington Post, 14 June 2022 By eliminating Russian coal, European countries will be forced to compete for replacements on the international market, and the cost of securing energy supplies will likely flame higher. Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2022 Biden decides to flame some TikTok dancers (Aristotle Athari) via his Finsta account, before getting confused over a pro-Russian commercial. Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 30 Jan. 2022 And political fights for compensation to pay for access in tenant and indigent health care laws, particularly involving undocumented residents, may be used to flame more racial outrage among the conservative base. Nathan Newman, The Week, 25 June 2021 Hosted by Kenan Thompson, the comedy special opens up the floor for Joe, Nick, and Kevin to bash and flame each other in a way only siblings can. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2021 The news media speculated that the city's artificial lights lured in grasshoppers like moths to flame. Joshua Sokol New York Times, Star Tribune, 8 Apr. 2021 See More
Noun
During safety tests, when held to an open flame the branches melted but did not ignite. Dan Diclerico, Good Housekeeping, 15 Sep. 2022 The actual audio, like his wife’s wiretapped conversation with an old flame, could be listened to for a fee. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2022 Owners say the restaurant brings the centuries-old cooking technique of churrasco — roasting prime cuts of meat over an open flame. Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2022 Going back to an old flame may be ill-advised, but going back to your old job might be a great idea. Jane Thier, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2022 Returning to a favorite restaurant after a long spell is like encountering an old flame: Will there still be sparks? Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 22 Aug. 2022 During a break, his daughters, wife Judy, and niece Jen collected sticks to fashion a rotisserie spit and then roasted the birds over an open flame. Rachel Ng, Outside Online, 27 July 2022 This bright sauce elevates and balances anything cooked over an open flame. Chris Morris, BostonGlobe.com, 1 July 2022 Charring a tortilla over an open flame has always seemed unnecessarily risky to me, especially considering how beautifully a tortilla takes to a very hot cast-iron pan, and, in my experience, the broiler does wonders on peppers and eggplant. Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 1 July 2022 Verb
Kemmis isn’t alone in comparing alkaline hydrolysis to flame cremation. Lauren Oster, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 July 2022 There was one hint of the scares at the end of Episode 1 as Elle meets up with the English industrialist whose eyes flame unnaturally. John Hopewell, Variety, 18 June 2022 Old feuds flame up at Alexia’s bachelorette party and Larsa decides to move forward with selling her family home. Olivia Mccormack, Washington Post, 14 June 2022 By eliminating Russian coal, European countries will be forced to compete for replacements on the international market, and the cost of securing energy supplies will likely flame higher. Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2022 Biden decides to flame some TikTok dancers (Aristotle Athari) via his Finsta account, before getting confused over a pro-Russian commercial. Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 30 Jan. 2022 And political fights for compensation to pay for access in tenant and indigent health care laws, particularly involving undocumented residents, may be used to flame more racial outrage among the conservative base. Nathan Newman, The Week, 25 June 2021 Hosted by Kenan Thompson, the comedy special opens up the floor for Joe, Nick, and Kevin to bash and flame each other in a way only siblings can. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2021 The news media speculated that the city's artificial lights lured in grasshoppers like moths to flame. Joshua Sokol New York Times, Star Tribune, 8 Apr. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English flaume, flaumbe, from Anglo-French flame (from Latin flamma) & flambe, flamble, from Latin flammula, diminutive of flamma flame; akin to Latin flagrare to burn — more at black entry 1
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Phrases Containing flame
Kids Definition
flame 1 of 2
noun
ˈflām
1
: the glowing gas that makes up part of a fire
the flame of a candle
2
: a state of burning brightly
The sticks burst into flame.
3
: strongly felt emotion
flame
2 of 2verb
flamed; flaming
: to burn with or as if with a flame
a torch flaming
Medical Definition
flame
transitive verb
ˈflām
flamed; flaming
: to cleanse or sterilize by fire
flame 1 of 2
noun
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
- sweetheart
- darling
- love
- dear
- lover
- sweet
- sweetie
- beloved
- girlfriend
- girl
- honey
- truelove
- boyfriend
- boy
- mistress
- wife
- sweetie pie
- bride
- husband
- steady
- hon
- admirer
- beau
- pet
- gal
- man
- swain
- squeeze
- paramour
- amour
- lass
- crush
- fellow
- groom
- wooer
- doll
- suitor
- date
- tootsie
- inamorata
- escort
- ladylove
- duck(s)
- gallant
- fiancé
- heartthrob
- intended
- significant other
flame
2 of 2verb
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
- glow
- burn
- fire
- blaze
- flicker
- combust
- gleam
- smolder
- ignite
- shine
- kindle
- scorch
- spark
- go up in flames
- char
- melt
- cook
- enkindle
- roast
- beam
- glint
- deflagrate
- flash
- broil
- sputter
- smoulder
- glare
- gutter
- bake
- glitter
- sparkle
- shimmer
- waver
- glimmer
- swelter
- catch
- twinkle
- radiate
- glisten
- brighten
- flare (up)
- light (up)
- scintillate
- beat (down)
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
- erupt
- explode
- break out
- rocket
- wax
- swell
- mushroom
- burst (forth)
- flare (up)
- balloon
- snowball
- mount
- blaze (up)
- detonate
- skyrocket
- touch off
- proliferate
- multiply
- bourgeon
- blow up
- burgeon
3
as in to burn
to shine with a bright harsh light the noonday sun flamed down on the desert travelers Synonyms & Similar Words
- burn
- glow
- flare
- blaze
- glare
- flash
- gleam
- beam
- glint
- sparkle
- beat
- glance
- glitter
- radiate
- shimmer
- blind
- glimmer
- twinkle
- glisten
- dazzle
- glister
- scintillate
- daze
- bedazzle
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
- gleam
- flash
- glint
- shimmer
- glitter
- glow
- sparkle
- shine
- twinkle
- glimmer
- glisten
- luster
- spangle
- glister
- scintillate
- coruscate
- beam
- glance
- lustre
- flare
- wink
- winkle
- blind
- blaze
- dazzle
- burn
- glare
- radiate
- daze
- bedazzle