Aflame means actively burning with fire, or appearing to burn with bright, intense color or emotion. When a building is aflame, flames are consuming it right now, blazing actively. A forest fire leaves trees aflame, their branches crackling with orange and red flames.

The word also describes something so bright or colorful it looks like it's on fire. In autumn, maple trees appear aflame with brilliant red and orange leaves. A sunset might set the sky aflame with pink and gold. When someone's face is aflame with embarrassment, their cheeks turn so red they seem to glow.

You can also be aflame with strong emotion or passion. A scientist might be aflame with excitement about a new discovery, or an activist aflame with determination to fix an injustice. The word suggests intensity: something that burns hot and bright, impossible to ignore. Aflame emphasizes the active, consuming nature of flames, or the overwhelming intensity of color or feeling.