flair, flare, flare out, flare up, flare-up

A flair is an instinct, knack or talent.

• Matthew’s garden is beautiful; he has a real flair for landscape design.

A flare is a flame or a gradual widening.

• If your car breaks down on the highway, you should set out flares to warn other motorists.
• Dad hadn’t seen trousers with such a wide flare since Woodstock.

The noun flare-up is an outburst or recurrence of trouble or infection. Note that it is spelled with a hyphen (although the phrasal verb flare up is not).

• Acne sufferers often experience flare-ups in times of stress.

The verb flare means to increase in brightness or revive (often used with up), or to widen (used with out).

• When the pine boughs were added, the campfire flared (up) brightly.
• The chihuahua’s nostrils flared (out) as the letter carrier approached.
• Below the knees, the skirt flares out, creating a traditional tulip shape.