FLASHES Synonyms: 231 Similar and Opposite Words

flashes 1 of 2

noun

plural of flash

as in bursts

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

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in explosions

a sudden intense expression of strong feeling a much-needed flash of humor during the otherwise boring lecture

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as in minutes

a very small space of time the shower will be over in a flash

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as in miracles

something extraordinary or surprising the new goalie for our hockey team was apparently quite a flash in his hometown

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flashes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of flash

as in gleams

to shoot forth bursts of light the actress's diamond necklace flashed as she hurried on stage to accept the award

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as in displays

to present so as to invite notice or attention flashed a wad of cash as he paid for his dinner

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as in twinkles

to shine with light at regular intervals the disco lights flashed, and the revelers danced

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as in announces

to make known openly or publicly flashed the news of the royal birth around the world

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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 flashes

Noun

Peak foliage in the Rangeley Lakes region more often occurs during the last week of September into the first week of October, but the cooler temperatures, quiet lakes, and first flashes of color arrive sooner. — Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 On the field, both teams showed flashes of talent, made big plays and had a chance to win at the end. — Austin Horn august 29, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026 Forsaking Quincy Jones for, among others, new jack swing king Teddy Riley, Jackson’s first ‘90s album revealed a grittier, funkier outlook, marked by flashes of lyrical darkness and paranoia. — Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Aug. 2026 Moments after the front tires hit the ground, there are three loud pops and flashes of light from the area around them, followed by flames. — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 Brown, who will turn 27 next month, has shown so many flashes of potential since the Cubs acquired him as an A-ball prospect in the David Robertson trade with the Philadelphia Phillies at the 2022 deadline. — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 For some, fall fashion starts with color, working in warm browns and flashes of crimson red or shaking typical neutrals up with pops of cobalt blue. — Minty Mellon, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2026 Iridescent flashes and gold gemstones emulate deep-sea treasures. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 22 Aug. 2026 Sammis is trying to turn those flashes into more consistency as TCU continues to reshape its offensive identity after the departure of key stars from last year, such as quarterback Josh Hoover and wide receiver Eric McAlister. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Aug. 2026

Verb

As Robert Spillane works through a quiet camp, fellow inside linebacker Christian Elliss flashes again and again, this time in coverage during 7-on-7s with a pass breakup. — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 1 Aug. 2026 Danny Trejo flashes a smile at San Diego’s Comic-Con International on July 25. — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026 The other flashes forward to the mid-1990s and focuses on a team of FBI agents (including Shailene Woodley and Alexander Ludwig) hunting the elusive Unabomber who get a significant lead in the case connected to Kaczynski’s past. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 29 July 2026 The system, when working, flashes warning signs, alerts law enforcement to respond and displays messages on digital signs to warn drivers on the Turnpike. — Miami Herald, 24 July 2026 Belafonte flashes his famous smile under his famous widow’s peak. — Joshua Jelly-Schapiro, Vanity Fair, 21 July 2026 Dent works to instill a culture of swift response anytime a light outside a room door flashes on. — Bruce Finley, Denver Post, 5 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flashes

Noun

Back at Camp Cranium, bursts of laughter, whoops of delight and distant chatter punctuated the humid summer air.

— Lydia McFarlane, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026
To achieve this, the locus coeruleus continuously alternates between tonic activity—governing baseline arousal and alertness—and brief phasic bursts that focus attention on critical events.

— Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of bursts

Noun

The explosions provide different interruptions, punctuating the moment as one of Keeley’s ideas plays out in real time.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
Over the course of its five-year mission, the Roman telescope will capture images of the Milky Way, survey the entire sky and observe supernova explosions that occurred as far as 8 billion years ago.

— Josh Feldman, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of explosions

Noun

In the second quarter, the Dream’s first basket didn’t come until a little over three minutes into the period.

— Micahya Costen, AJC.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Just 10 minutes from Lagos and 15 minutes from Portimão, Palmares strikes an ideal balance between accessibility and seclusion.

— Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of minutes

Noun

Hundreds of puppets had to be created, and fitting characters like the Smiling Friends that were clearly designed for 2D animation into 3D spaces required some fabrication miracles.

— Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 30 Aug. 2026
No one is expecting miracles this season, even with hundreds of millions of pounds worth of new players in the team.

— Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of miracles

Verb

Like Beckham’s dress, the 100-percent silk dress softly gleams in the light.

— Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025
Despite a couple of funky skips, the album is fueled by the hunger of an artist who really wants the pop life again, perking up electro-scuzz and arena rock with new wave that gleams like glitter.

— Pitchfork, Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2025

Definition of gleams

Verb

But this status must have condemned her to a relentless cycle of literary festivals, given that her new semi-autobiographical novel displays a microscopic interest in their inner workings.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
Image and Video Capture As a Chrome extension, Droplr displays an unobtrusive window in your browser's corner with all your screen capture options.

— Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of displays

Verb

In the camp’s Cinema building, an old projector flickers to life on the scene where young Billy (Amanda Fix) loses her virginity, and the real Billy materializes behind Kris, hoping for a jump.

— JP Mangalindan, Time, 10 Aug. 2026
On another monitor, a dashboard that resembles the menu screen of a flight simulator flickers to life — only this is no simulation.

— Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026

Definition of flickers

Verb

Gary announces debris removal plans The city of Gary announced Wednesday that it’s partnered with contractors and residents to launch storm recovery and debris removal operations.

— Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2026
Every few weeks, another headline announces that artificial intelligence has matched a doctor, beaten a doctor, or is finally ready to become one.

— Arya Rao, STAT, 19 Aug. 2026