flair and flare are homophones: they are pronounced identically and spelled differently, which is why they are so often swapped. flair means “a natural talent”. flare means “a shape that spreads outward”.
/ˈflɛɹ/
1.n.a natural talent
“he has a flair for mathematics”
2.n.distinctive and stylish elegance
“he wooed her with the confident dash of a cavalry officer”
3.n.a shape that spreads outward
“the skirt had a wide flare”
/ˈflɛɹ/
| flair | flare | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈflɛɹ/ | /ˈflɛɹ/ |
| Said | fler | fler |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 5 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun, verb |
| Senses | 3 | 15 |
| How common | Familiar | Familiar |
| Synonyms | genius | flair |
Full entry for flair · Full entry for flare · More comparisons
1.n.a shape that spreads outward
“the skirt had a wide flare”
2.n.a sudden burst of flame
3.n.a burst of light used to communicate or illuminate