flash
1 of 4verb
ˈflash 
flashed; flashing; flashes
intransitive verb
1
: rush, dash —used of flowing water
2
: to break forth in or like a sudden flame or flare
3
a
: to appear suddenly
an idea flashes into her mind
b
: to move with great speed
the days flash by
4
a
: to break forth or out so as to make a sudden display
b
: to act or speak vehemently and suddenly especially in anger
5
a
: to give off light suddenly or in transient bursts
b
: to glow or gleam especially with animation or passion
her eyes flashed with anger
6
: to change suddenly or violently into vapor
7
: to expose one's breasts or genitals usually suddenly and briefly in public
8
: to have sudden insight —often used with on
transitive verb
1
a
archaic : splash
b
: to fill by a sudden inflow of water
2
a
: to cause the sudden appearance of (light)
b
: to cause to burst violently into flame
c(1)
: to cause (light) to reflect
(2)
: to cause (something) to reflect light
flash a mirror
(3)
: to cause (a lamp) to flash
d
: to convey by means of flashes of light
3
a
: to make known or cause to appear with great speed
flash a message on the screen
b
: to display obtrusively and ostentatiously
always flashing a roll of bills
c
: to expose to view usually suddenly and briefly
flashed a badge
4
: to cover with or form into a thin layer: such as
a
: to protect against rain by covering with sheet metal or a substitute
b
: to coat (glass) with a thin layer (as of metal or a differently colored glass)
5
: to subject (an exposed photographic negative or positive) to a supplementary uniform exposure to light before development in order to modify detail or tone
6
: to expose one's breasts or genitals usually suddenly and briefly to
flashed the audience
flash
2 of 4noun
1
a
: a sudden burst of light
b
: a movement of a flag in signaling
2
: a sudden and often brilliant burst
a flash of wit
3
: a brief time
4
a
: show, display
especially : a vulgar ostentatious display
b
archaic : a showy ostentatious person
c
: one that attracts notice
especially : an outstanding athlete
d
: pizzazz
5
obsolete : thieves' slang
6
: something flashed: such as
a
: glimpse, look
b
: smile
c
: a first brief news report
d
: flashlight sense 1
e
: a quick-spreading flame or momentary intense outburst of radiant heat
f(1)
: flashlight sense 2
(2)
: a device for producing a flashlight for taking photographs
7
: rush sense 7a
8
: the rapid conversion of a liquid into vapor
flash
3 of 4adjective
1
a
: flashy, showy
b
: of, relating to, or characteristic of flashy people or things
flash behavior
c
: of, relating to, or characteristic of persons considered social outcasts
flash language
2
: of sudden origin and short duration
a flash fire
3
: having or using a solid-state data storage technology that retains data even without a connection to a power source
flash memory
flash
4 of 4adverb
: by very brief exposure to an intense altering agent (such as heat or cold)
flash fry
flash freeze
Did you know?
The origin of the word flash is uncertain, although it rhymes with a number of other verbs that also mean forceful, often violent movement that may come to a quick end: dash, lash, crash, slash, clash, gash, bash, splash, smash. These words turn up in English over a fairly long period of time, from dash— the only word in the group with a likely foreign source—in the 14th century, to smash in the 18th century. The element -ash has thus provided a kind of model for new words. The initial fl – that is added to -ash to make flash is also heard in words meaning quick movement, as flee, fly, flicker, and flutter.
Synonyms
Verb
- coruscate
- flame
- glance
- gleam
- glimmer
- glint
- glisten
- glister
- glitter
- luster
- lustre
- scintillate
- shimmer
- spangle
- sparkle
- twinkle
- wink
- winkle
Noun
- burst
- flare
- flare-up
- flicker
- flurry
- flutter
- outbreak
- outburst
- spurt
Adjective
- brief
- deciduous
- ephemeral
- evanescent
- fleeting
- fugacious
- fugitive
- impermanent
- momentary
- passing
- short-lived
- temporary
- transient
- transitory
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed. Cameras flashed as the celebrities passed. A car was sitting on the side of the road with its lights flashing. A message flashed on the screen. The screen flashed a message in black letters. Her eyes flashed with anger. Noun A brilliant flash lit up the sky. The idea for the movie came to her in a flash of inspiration. They relied on gimmicks and flash to get people's attention. a show with a lot of flash but little substance Adjective flash floods in the local area See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Laura Garcia, San Antonio Express-News, 7 Sep. 2022 The present-day Baltimore Orioles have flexed their creative muscles and integrated The Wire lore into their pre-closer routine, blaring Omar’s precautionary whistle as the stadium lights flash on and off. Khari Nixon, SPIN, 6 Sep. 2022 Recently, heavy rains have led to flash floods that fervently race through the streets of Nogales, Sonora, toppling cars and washing people away. José Ignacio Castañeda Perez, The Arizona Republic, 26 Aug. 2022 Street takeovers are a U.S. phenomenon where motorists arrive at a particular location in a coordinated manner similar to flash mobs, block streets with their vehicles and engage in stunts with their cars. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Aug. 2022 The service is free for those who flash a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket to conductors at stations in and around Boston. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2022 One snapshot shows Paris, 24, and Prince, 25, holding hands while the two flash their smiles for the camera. Shafiq Najib, Peoplemag, 20 Aug. 2022 The product provides lower latency using internal DRAM cache with larger data space using NAND flash over a CXL interface. Tom Coughlin, Forbes, 15 Aug. 2022 Satellite lightning detection picked up what was likely a meteor trail or flash over Davis and Morgan counties in northern Utah around 8:31 a.m., the National Weather Service of Salt Lake City. Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2022 Dominic Fracassa, San Francisco Chronicle, 9 Sep. 2022 Tropical Storm Kay will bring heavy rain and flash flooding to Southern California and the Southwest through the weekend. Fox News, 9 Sep. 2022 This means residents will go from sweltering temperatures to excessive rainfall, which can cause quick rises in creeks and rivers and lead to flash flooding in Southern California and southwest Arizona. Nouran Salahieh, CNN, 8 Sep. 2022 Copious rainfall over the past few days has left a general two-to-eight-inch accumulation across the state and some flash flooding in the Greater New Haven area. Hartford Courant, 7 Sep. 2022 Thunderstorms, isolated showers and flash flooding are also forecast for the mountain and desert areas through Tuesday night. Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2022 Residents of the city of Summerville in Chattooga County were advised to boil water prior to drinking and cooking due to flash flooding at a local filter plant, according to the city's website. Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2022 Two rounds of heavy rain over 30 hours produced more than 5 inches of rain in northern Illinois and caused flash flooding. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2022 Severe storms that brought damaging winds, heavy rains and flash flooding to parts of the Midwest and the South were blamed for the deaths of three people, including two children in Michigan and Arkansas as well as a woman in Ohio. CBS News, 30 Aug. 2022 Mare Czinar, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2022 Residents who live near the intersection where the accident occurred said the flash mobs of street takeovers have become weekly occurrences in their neighborhood. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2022 The preserve’s southern region is a study in the power of water, and the Lost Dog Wash Trail gives a tour of how flash floods and storm runoff have shaped the foothills of the McDowell Mountains range in the northeast Valley. Mare Czinar, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2022 The preserve’s southern region is a study in the power of water, and the Lost Dog Wash Trail gives a tour of how flash floods and storm runoff have shaped the foothills of the McDowell Mountains range in the northeast Valley. Mare Czinar, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2022 The preserve’s southern region is a study in the power of water, and the Lost Dog Wash Trail gives a tour of how flash floods and storm runoff have shaped the foothills of the McDowell Mountains range in the northeast Valley. Mare Czinar, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2022 The preserve’s southern region is a study in the power of water, and the Lost Dog Wash Trail gives a tour of how flash floods and storm runoff have shaped the foothills of the McDowell Mountains range in the northeast Valley. Mare Czinar, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2022 The preserve’s southern region is a study in the power of water, and the Lost Dog Wash Trail gives a tour of how flash floods and storm runoff have shaped the foothills of the McDowell Mountains range in the northeast Valley. Mare Czinar, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2022 The preserve’s southern region is a study in the power of water, and the Lost Dog Wash Trail gives a tour of how flash floods and storm runoff have shaped the foothills of the McDowell Mountains range in the northeast Valley. Mare Czinar, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2022 See More
Verb
In order to get a good sample, Jia must flash-freeze proteins with liquid ethane so that they are suspended in a thin layer of ice. Laura Garcia, San Antonio Express-News, 7 Sep. 2022 The present-day Baltimore Orioles have flexed their creative muscles and integrated The Wire lore into their pre-closer routine, blaring Omar’s precautionary whistle as the stadium lights flash on and off. Khari Nixon, SPIN, 6 Sep. 2022 Recently, heavy rains have led to flash floods that fervently race through the streets of Nogales, Sonora, toppling cars and washing people away. José Ignacio Castañeda Perez, The Arizona Republic, 26 Aug. 2022 Street takeovers are a U.S. phenomenon where motorists arrive at a particular location in a coordinated manner similar to flash mobs, block streets with their vehicles and engage in stunts with their cars. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Aug. 2022 The service is free for those who flash a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket to conductors at stations in and around Boston. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2022 One snapshot shows Paris, 24, and Prince, 25, holding hands while the two flash their smiles for the camera. Shafiq Najib, Peoplemag, 20 Aug. 2022 The product provides lower latency using internal DRAM cache with larger data space using NAND flash over a CXL interface. Tom Coughlin, Forbes, 15 Aug. 2022 Satellite lightning detection picked up what was likely a meteor trail or flash over Davis and Morgan counties in northern Utah around 8:31 a.m., the National Weather Service of Salt Lake City. Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2022 Noun
There are risks for torrential downpours and flash flooding in the coming days for the canyon passes and roadways near cities like Murrieta and Escondido. Dominic Fracassa, San Francisco Chronicle, 9 Sep. 2022 Tropical Storm Kay will bring heavy rain and flash flooding to Southern California and the Southwest through the weekend. Fox News, 9 Sep. 2022 This means residents will go from sweltering temperatures to excessive rainfall, which can cause quick rises in creeks and rivers and lead to flash flooding in Southern California and southwest Arizona. Nouran Salahieh, CNN, 8 Sep. 2022 Copious rainfall over the past few days has left a general two-to-eight-inch accumulation across the state and some flash flooding in the Greater New Haven area. Hartford Courant, 7 Sep. 2022 Thunderstorms, isolated showers and flash flooding are also forecast for the mountain and desert areas through Tuesday night. Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2022 Residents of the city of Summerville in Chattooga County were advised to boil water prior to drinking and cooking due to flash flooding at a local filter plant, according to the city's website. Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2022 Two rounds of heavy rain over 30 hours produced more than 5 inches of rain in northern Illinois and caused flash flooding. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2022 Severe storms that brought damaging winds, heavy rains and flash flooding to parts of the Midwest and the South were blamed for the deaths of three people, including two children in Michigan and Arkansas as well as a woman in Ohio. CBS News, 30 Aug. 2022 Adjective
The preserve’s southern region is a study in the power of water, and the Lost Dog Wash Trail gives a tour of how flash floods and storm runoff have shaped the foothills of the McDowell Mountains range in the northeast Valley. Mare Czinar, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2022 Residents who live near the intersection where the accident occurred said the flash mobs of street takeovers have become weekly occurrences in their neighborhood. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2022 The preserve’s southern region is a study in the power of water, and the Lost Dog Wash Trail gives a tour of how flash floods and storm runoff have shaped the foothills of the McDowell Mountains range in the northeast Valley. Mare Czinar, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2022 The preserve’s southern region is a study in the power of water, and the Lost Dog Wash Trail gives a tour of how flash floods and storm runoff have shaped the foothills of the McDowell Mountains range in the northeast Valley. Mare Czinar, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2022 The preserve’s southern region is a study in the power of water, and the Lost Dog Wash Trail gives a tour of how flash floods and storm runoff have shaped the foothills of the McDowell Mountains range in the northeast Valley. Mare Czinar, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2022 The preserve’s southern region is a study in the power of water, and the Lost Dog Wash Trail gives a tour of how flash floods and storm runoff have shaped the foothills of the McDowell Mountains range in the northeast Valley. Mare Czinar, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2022 The preserve’s southern region is a study in the power of water, and the Lost Dog Wash Trail gives a tour of how flash floods and storm runoff have shaped the foothills of the McDowell Mountains range in the northeast Valley. Mare Czinar, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2022 The preserve’s southern region is a study in the power of water, and the Lost Dog Wash Trail gives a tour of how flash floods and storm runoff have shaped the foothills of the McDowell Mountains range in the northeast Valley. Mare Czinar, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English flaschen, of imitative origin
First Known Use
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Noun
1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adjective
circa 1700, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adverb
1970, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing flash
Kids Definition
flash 1 of 3
verb
ˈflash
flashed; flashing
1
: to shine or give off bright light suddenly
Lightning flashed in the sky.
2
: to appear quickly or suddenly
A message flashed on the screen.
3
: to come or pass very suddenly
A car flashed by.
4
: to show briefly
The officer flashed his badge.
flash
2 of 3noun
1
: a sudden burst of or as if of light
a flash of lightning
a flash of brilliance
2
: a very short time
I'll be back in a flash.
flash
3 of 3adjective
: beginning suddenly and lasting only a short time
flash floods
Medical Definition
flash
noun
ˈflash
: rush sense 2 compare hot flash
flash 1 of 3
noun
1
as in burst
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity a flash of last-minute trips to the grocery store before the onset of the big snowstorm Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- burst
- flurry
- flicker
- flare
- flutter
- surge
- outburst
- spurt
- outbreak
- increase
- eruption
- flood
- explosion
- boost
- flare-up
- renewal
- pickup
- upturn
- recurrence
- rush
- recrudescence
- volley
- upswing
- spree
- deluge
- paroxysm
- jag
- commotion
- spate
- epidemic
- binge
- furor
- uproar
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- slump
- calm
- doldrums
2
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling a much-needed flash of humor during the otherwise boring lecture Synonyms & Similar Words
- burst
- explosion
- outburst
- eruption
- flare
- blaze
- flush
- gust
- spasm
- gale
- storm
- fit
- frenzy
- gush
- paroxysm
- ebullition
- agony
- rage
- flare-up
- tantrum
- rapture
- ecstasy
- blowup
- transport
- firestorm
- delirium
- grouch
- furor
3
as in second
a very small space of time the shower will be over in a flash Synonyms & Similar Words
- second
- minute
- instant
- heartbeat
- moment
- twinkle
- twinkling
- nanosecond
- trice
- split second
- wink
- jiffy
- shake
- eyeblink
- jiff
- microsecond
- beat
- New York minute
- snatch
- spurt
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- eternity
- forever
- age
- infinity
- lifetime
- aeon
- eon
4
as in miracle
something extraordinary or surprising the new goalie for our hockey team was apparently quite a flash in his hometown Synonyms & Similar Words
- miracle
- marvel
- wonder
- phenomenon
- sensation
- prodigy
- beauty
- splendor
- portent
- sight
- spectacle
- caution
- crackajack
- knockout
- appearance
- curiosity
- crackerjack
- apparition
- dandy
- corker
- jim-dandy
5
as in glitz
excessive or unnecessary display the expensive clothes, the luxury cars, and other apparent signs of success are all flash that belie the fact that the family is up to its ears in debt Synonyms & Similar Words
- glitz
- flashiness
- spectacle
- gaudiness
- flamboyance
- decoration
- pomp
- ornamentation
- garishness
- dazzle
- showiness
- swank
- fanfare
- parade
- dressing
- ostentation
- ostentatiousness
- luxuriousness
- adornment
- show
- luxuriance
- razzmatazz
- éclat
- extravaganza
- razzle-dazzle
- pretentiousness
- pretense
- mummery
- embellishment
- trimming
- pageantry
- pageant
- magnificence
- richness
- pretence
- garnishment
- sumptuousness
- opulence
- luridness
- fanciness
- tawdriness
- vulgarity
- extravagance
- foofaraw
- meretriciousness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- severity
- restraint
- simplicity
- plainness
- austerity
- modesty
- elegance
- moderation
- understatement
- gracefulness
- conservativeness
- minimalism
- tastefulness
flash
2 of 3verb
1
as in to gleam
to shoot forth bursts of light the actress's diamond necklace flashed as she hurried on stage to accept the award Synonyms & Similar Words
- gleam
- glint
- shimmer
- glitter
- sparkle
- glow
- shine
- twinkle
- glimmer
- flame
- glance
- glisten
- beam
- glister
- wink
- scintillate
- flare
- luster
- coruscate
- spangle
- winkle
- dazzle
- lustre
- blind
- glare
- blaze
- radiate
- daze
- burn
- bedazzle
2
as in to display
to present so as to invite notice or attention flashed a wad of cash as he paid for his dinner Synonyms & Similar Words
- display
- wave
- exhibit
- show
- expose
- parade
- produce
- show off
- strut
- unveil
- flaunt
- sport
- announce
- lay out
- air
- advertise
- reveal
- post
- broadcast
- disport
- sound
- blaze
- brandish
- proclaim
- trumpet
- flourish
- bare
- publicize
- placard
- herald
- discover
- divulge
- uncover
- tell (of)
- uncloak
- unmask
- talk (about)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- mask
- camouflage
- curtain
- hide
- disguise
- cover
- obscure
- conceal
- veil
- occlude
- shroud
- occult
- enshroud
3
as in to flicker
to shine with light at regular intervals the disco lights flashed, and the revelers danced Synonyms & Similar Words
- flicker
- twinkle
- flare
- glint
- sparkle
- blink
- glitter
- glimmer
- shimmer
- spark
- wink
- glister
- glance
- glisten
- coruscate
- spangle
- scintillate
4
as in to publish
to make known openly or publicly flashed the news of the royal birth around the world Synonyms & Similar Words
- publish
- announce
- post
- declare
- proclaim
- sound
- advertise
- broadcast
- blaze
- blare
- trumpet
- release
- run with
- publicize
- placard
- herald
- annunciate
- promulgate
- disclose
- give out
- show
- ring
- promote
- report
- spread
- feature
- bulletin
- reveal
- billboard
- plug
- beat the drum (for or about)
- cry
- puff
- enunciate
- disseminate
- blazon
- bark
- blurb
- bill
- introduce
- manifest
- toll
- pitch
- impart
- hand down
- notify
- kithe
- inform
- communicate
- gazette
- knell
- divulge
- call (off or out)
- intimate
- apprise
- advise
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- silence
- conceal
- suppress
- recall
- withhold
- revoke
- retract
- hush (up)
- recant
flash
3 of 3adjective
as in passing
lasting only for a short time flash floods in the local area Synonyms & Similar Words
- passing
- brief
- temporary
- transient
- momentary
- fleeting
- evanescent
- short
- transitory
- ephemeral
- little
- fugacious
- fugitive
- deciduous
- short-lived
- impermanent
- acting
- shortish
- interim
- short-term
- provisional
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- permanent
- everlasting
- lasting
- eternal
- timeless
- unending
- enduring
- endless
- perpetual
- undying
- deathless
- immortal
- persistent
- ceaseless
- lifelong
- durable
- continuing
- indestructible
- long-lived
- dateless
- imperishable
- indefectible
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of flash are gleam, glimmer, glint, glisten, glitter, shimmer, and sparkle. While all these words mean "to send forth light," flash implies a sudden outburst of bright light.
lightning flashed
Although the words gleam and flash have much in common, gleam suggests a steady light seen through an obscuring medium or against a dark background.
lights gleamed in the valley
The words glimmer and flash are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, glimmer suggests a faint or wavering gleam.
a distant glimmering light
While in some cases nearly identical to flash, glint implies a cold glancing light.
glinting steel
While the synonyms glisten and flash are close in meaning, glisten applies to the soft sparkle from a wet or oily surface.
glistening wet sidewalk
The synonyms glitter and flash are sometimes interchangeable, but glitter connotes a brilliant sparkling or gleaming.
glittering diamonds
The words shimmer and flash can be used in similar contexts, but shimmer means shining with a wavering light.
a shimmering satin dress
The meanings of sparkle and flash largely overlap; however, sparkle suggests innumerable moving points of bright light.
the sparkling waters