Flair vs. Flare — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 5, 2023
Flair refers to a distinctive ability or style, while flare refers to a bright light or a gradual widening. E.g., "She has a flair for design." vs. "The flare lit up the night sky."
Difference Between Flair and Flare
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Flair, denoting a natural talent or an elegant style, often refers to a person's unique way of expressing themselves through various mediums. Flare, on the other hand, references a burst of light or the broadening of a shape, distinctly disparate in its application and connotation.
In a metaphorical context, flair can describe an artistic and attractive quality in action or object. Conversely, flare can figuratively allude to a sudden, often temporary, increase or intensification, such as a flare-up of emotions or conflict, embodying a brief yet potent surge.
Flair, when used in a sentence, often conveys appreciation or admiration towards an individual’s capability or style. In a contrasting manner, flare when utilized in language, usually illustrates a visual or situational description of light or an escalating situation.
Skill and style exuded by a person, often effortlessly, find expression through the word flair, emphasizing finesse and natural aptitude. Flare, with its implications of brightness and expansion, takes a different route, exploring physical and emotional domains differently.
Highlighting flair brings attention to a person's special skill, ability, or aesthetic, often in a specific field or activity. In sharp contrast, discussing flare frequently involves portraying light, heat, or the broadening aspect of objects, offering a divergent linguistic and conceptual pathway.
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Comparison Chart
Basic Meaning
A talent or style
A burst of light
Part of Speech
Noun
Noun/Verb
Example Usage
She has a flair for baking.
He lit the flare in the dark.
Common Associations
Style, elegance, aptitude
Light, explosion, brightness
Derivatives & Related
Flair can't be a verb
Flare can be used as a verb
Compare with Definitions
Flair
A natural talent or aptitude.
She has a flair for languages.
Flare
A sudden brief burst of light or flame.
A flare lit up the night sky.
Flair
An ability to do something well.
Her flair for cooking is admirable.
Flare
A device producing a bright light for warning or illumination in emergencies.
He set off a distress flare after the shipwreck.
Flair
A knack or special readiness for a particular activity.
He has a flair for making people laugh.
Flare
A sudden increase in intensity, especially of emotion.
A flare of anger flashed in her eyes.
Flair
A natural talent or aptitude; a knack
A flair for interior decorating.
Flare
A gradual widening, especially of a skirt or pants.
She wore jeans with a slight flare at the bottom.
Flair
Instinctive discernment; keenness
A flair for the exotica.
Flare
An outbreak or eruption.
There was a flare-up of the disease in the region.
Flair
Distinctive elegance or style
Served us with flair.
Flare
A flare, also sometimes called a fusée, is a type of pyrotechnic that produces a bright light or intense heat without an explosion. Flares are used for distress signaling, illumination, or defensive countermeasures in civilian and military applications.
Flair
A natural or innate talent or aptitude.
To have a flair for art
Flare
To flame up with a bright, wavering light.
Flair
Distinctive style or elegance.
To dress with flair
Flare
To burst into intense, sudden flame.
Flair
(obsolete) Smell; odor.
Flare
To erupt or intensify suddenly
Tempers flared at the meeting. His allergies flared up.
Flair
(obsolete) Olfaction; sense of smell.
Flare
To become suddenly angry. Used with up
He flared up when she alluded to his financial difficulties.
Flair
(transitive) To add flair.
Flare
To make a sudden angry verbal attack. Used with out
Flared out at his accusers.
Flair
Smell; odor.
Flare
To expand or open outward in shape
A skirt that flares from the waist.
Nostrils that flared with anger.
Flair
Sense of smell; scent; fig., discriminating sense.
Flare
To cause to flame up.
Flair
A talent or ability, expecially an intuitive one that makes performance of a task appear easy; an intuitive appreciation; a knack; as, she has a flair for acting.
Flare
To signal with a blaze of light.
Flair
An attractive way of performing a task; style.
Flare
A brief wavering blaze of light.
Flair
A natural talent;
He has a flair for mathematics
He has a genius for interior decorating
Flare
A device that produces a bright light for signaling, illumination, or identification.
Flair
Distinctive and stylish elegance;
He wooed her with the confident dash of a cavalry officer
Flare
An outbreak, as of emotion or activity.
Flair
A shape that spreads outward;
The skirt had a wide flare
Flare
An expanding or opening outward.
Flair
A tendency or inclination for something.
With her flair for drama, she captivated the audience.
Flare
An unwanted reflection within an optical system or the resultant fogging of the image.
Flare
A solar flare.
Flare
(Football) A short pass to a back running toward the sideline.
Flare
(Baseball) A fly ball hit a short distance into the outfield.
Flare
An area of redness on the skin surrounding the primary site of infection or irritation.
Flare
A sudden worsening of the symptoms of a disease or condition
Treating an arthritis flare.
Flare
A sudden bright light.
Flare
A source of brightly burning light or intense heat.
Solar flare
Flare
A type of pyrotechnic that produces a brilliant light without an explosion, used to attract attention in an emergency, to illuminate an area, or as a decoy.
Flares were used to steer the traffic away from the accident.
The flares attracted the heat-seeking missiles.
Flare
(oil industry) A flame produced by a burn-off of waste gas (flare gas) from a flare tower (or flare stack), typically at an oil refinery.
Flare
(figuratively) A sudden eruption or outbreak; a flare-up.
Flare
A widening of an object with an otherwise roughly constant width.
During assembly of a flare tube fitting, a flare nut is used to secure the flared tubing’s tapered end to the also tapered fitting, producing a pressure-resistant, leak-tight seal.
That's a genuine early 70's flare on those pants.
Flare
(nautical) The increase in width of most ship hulls with increasing height above the waterline.
Flare
(in plural) Bell-bottom trousers.
Flare
(aviation) The transition from downward flight to level flight just before landing.
The captain executed the flare perfectly, and we lightly touched down.
Flare
(baseball) A low fly ball that is hit in the region between the infielders and the outfielders.
Jones hits a little flare to left that falls for a single.
Flare
(American football) A route run by the running back, releasing toward the sideline and then slightly arcing upfield looking for a short pass.
Flare
(photography) lens flare
Flare
An inflammation such as of tendons (tendonitis) or joints (osteoarthritis).
Flare
A breakdance move of someone helicoptering his torso on alternating arms.
Flare
(transitive) To cause to burn; in particular, to burn off excess gas (flare gas).
Flare
(transitive) To cause inflammation; to inflame.
Flare
(ambitransitive) To open outward in shape.
The cat flared its nostrils while sniffing at the air. (transitive)
The cat’s nostrils flared when it sniffed at the air. (intransitive)
The building flared from the third through the seventh floors to occupy the airspace over the entrance plaza. (intransitive)
The sides of a bowl flare. (intransitive)
Flare
To (operate an aircraft to) transition from downward flight to level flight just before landing.
Flare
(intransitive) To blaze brightly.
The blast furnace flared in the night.
Flare
(intransitive) To shine out with a sudden and unsteady light; to emit a dazzling or painfully bright light.
The candle flared in a sudden draught.
Flare
To shine out with gaudy colours; to be offensively bright or showy.
Flare
To suddenly happen or intensify.
Flare up
Flare
To suddenly erupt in anger.
Flare up
Flare
To be exposed to too much light.
Flare
To burn with an unsteady or waving flame; as, the candle flares.
Flare
To shine out with a sudden and unsteady light; to emit a dazzling or painfully bright light.
Flare
To shine out with gaudy colors; to flaunt; to be offensively bright or showy.
With ribbons pendant, flaring about her head.
Flare
To be exposed to too much light.
Flaring in sunshine all the day.
Flare
To open or spread outwards; to project beyond the perpendicular; as, the sides of a bowl flare; the bows of a ship flare.
Flare
An unsteady, broad, offensive light.
Flare
A spreading outward; as, the flare of a fireplace.
Flare
A defect in a photographic objective such that an image of the stop, or diaphragm, appears as a fogged spot in the center of the developed negative.
Flare
Leaf of lard.
Flare
A shape that spreads outward;
The skirt had a wide flare
Flare
A sudden burst of flame
Flare
A burst of light used to communicate or illuminate
Flare
Reddening of the skin spreading outward from a focus of infection or irritation
Flare
A sudden recurrence or worsening of symptoms;
A colitis flare
Infection can cause a lupus flare
Flare
A sudden eruption of intense high-energy radiation from the sun's surface; associated with sunspots and radio interference
Flare
Am unwanted reflection in an optical system (or the fogging of an image that is caused by such a reflection)
Flare
A sudden outburst of emotion;
She felt a flare of delight
She could not control her flare of rage
Flare
A device that produces a bright light for warning or illumination or identification
Flare
A short forward pass to a back who is running toward the sidelines;
He threw a flare to the fullback who was tackled for a loss
Flare
(baseball) a fly ball hit a short distance into the outfield
Flare
Burn brightly;
Every star seemed to flare with new intensity
Flare
Become flared and widen, usually at one end;
The bellbottom pants flare out
Flare
Shine with a sudden light;
The night sky flared with the massive bombardment
Flare
Erupt or intensify suddenly;
Unrest erupted in the country
Tempers flared at the meeting
The crowd irrupted into a burst of patriotism
Common Curiosities
Is "flair" a noun?
Yes, "flair" is a noun, indicating a natural ability or style.
Does "flare" indicate style?
No, "flare" refers to a bright light or a gradual widening.
What is an example of "flair"?
"She has a flair for languages."
Can "flair" refer to light?
No, "flair" refers to a distinctive style or talent.
Can "flare" be used as a verb?
Yes, "flare" can be a verb, meaning to burst into flame or widen.
Can "flair" be used metaphorically?
Yes, "flair" can imply a general sense of stylishness or talent.
Does "flare" only relate to light?
No, "flare" can also describe a sudden increase or the widening of something.
Can "flare" refer to emotion?
Yes, as in "a flare of anger," indicating a sudden emotional surge.
How to pronounce "flair"?
"Flair" is pronounced as [flair].
Can you use "flair" and "flare" interchangeably?
No, they have different meanings and cannot be used interchangeably.
Provide an example of "flare"?
"He sent up a flare to signal for help."
How to pronounce "flare"?
"Flare" is pronounced as [flair] as well, but context distinguishes them.
Can "flair" describe a person?
Yes, describing someone as having flair implies stylishness or talent.
Is "flair" related to creativity?
Yes, having a flair often pertains to a distinctive and creative ability or style.
Is "flare" commonly used in emergency situations?
Yes, flares are often used as signals in emergency situations.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
