Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

fan the flames

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.98 in modern English

Syllables: fan the flames
IPA

23

Scrabble Score

12

Letters

1

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To intensify or worsen an already difficult situation.

Example Sentences

"In simple terms, both superpowers poured gasoline on the fire and fanned the flames, hoping that out of the ashes would arise a region committed either to democracy or to Soviet-style communism."
"Far from putting a distance between them, his absence was only fanning the flames of her affection."
"They worried, too, that such a war would only fan the flames of the Islamic world's animosity toward the United States, producing "a further cycle of terrorist attacks, American casualties and escalation" […]"
"Atlanta newspapers fanned the flames of racial hatred by carrying stories of lynchings and calling for a renewed Ku Klux Klan to “control” blacks."
"What I don't see happening is the government fanning the flames of competition."

Inflected Forms

fans the flames (present, singular) fanning the flames (participle, present) fanned the flames (participle, past) fanned the flames (past)

Synonyms

add fuel to the fire pour gasoline on the fire fan the fire

Questions

What does fan the flames mean?: To intensify or worsen an already difficult situation.

How to pronounce fan the flames

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