1 B1 neutral
Of a fire: to suddenly burn much more intensely and brightly.
"A gust of wind hit the campfire and it blazed up, sending sparks into the trees."
inseparable
blaze up
B2 neutral inseparable intransitive
Of a fire: to suddenly burn more intensely; figuratively, of anger or trouble: to burst out suddenly.
In plain English
For a fire to suddenly get much bigger and brighter, OR for a feeling like anger to suddenly explode.
What does "blaze up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
Of a person or conflict: to suddenly become very angry or intense.
"He blazed up when he heard the false accusation, slamming his hand on the table."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To blaze (burn brightly) upward — relatively transparent.
Actually means
For a fire to suddenly get much bigger and brighter, OR for a feeling like anger to suddenly explode.
Usage tip
Both the literal (fire) and figurative (emotions, conflict) senses are in common use. Often describes a sudden escalation rather than a slow increase. More common in British English. Very close to 'flare up' in both senses; the two are often interchangeable.
Words that pair with "blaze up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
fire anger conflict temper flames violence
How to conjugate "blaze up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
blaze up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
blazes up
he/she/it
Past simple
blazed up
yesterday
Past participle
blazed up
have + pp
-ing form
blazing up
continuous
Hear "blaze up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "blaze up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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