# flare

/ˈfɫɛɹ/ (US) · /flˈeə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/flare
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a signal light

noun · CEFR B2

a bright light or flame used as a signal, often to show where you are or to ask for help.

For teachers: a pyrotechnic device that produces a bright light or colorful flame, typically used for signaling, illumination, or as a distress call.

- The sailors fired a red flare into the sky to show the rescue boat where they were.
- The stranded hikers deployed a handheld flare as the helicopter circled the valley, hoping the intense magnesium light would penetrate the thick canopy.

### 2. a sudden burst of light

noun · CEFR B2

a sudden, brief, and very bright light.

For teachers: a sudden, brief, and unsteady burst of flame or light.

- A flare of light from the match showed his face for a second in the dark room.
- The solar flare released a massive burst of radiation that disrupted satellite communications for several hours across the northern hemisphere.

### 5. to burn brightly

verb · CEFR B2

to suddenly burn with a bright, unsteady light.

For teachers: to burn with a sudden, intense, or irregular flame.

- The campfire flared up when he threw a dry log onto the coals.
- The gas from the refinery was flared off into the night sky, creating a rhythmic pulse of orange light visible for miles.

### 7. to land an aircraft

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to pull the nose of a plane up just before touching the ground to land softly.

For teachers: to execute a maneuver during the landing approach where the nose is raised to reduce the rate of descent.

- The pilot started to flare just before the wheels touched the runway.
- If the pilot fails to flare at the correct altitude, the aircraft may experience a hard landing that could damage the landing gear.

Usage: The verb is often used intransitively in this technical context.

## Examples

- The stranded sailors fired a flare into the night sky.
- The pilot dropped a flare to illuminate the landing strip during the emergency night flight.
- The photographer adjusted the lens hood to prevent lens flare from the setting sun, which was washing out the details in the foreground.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.