flame war

noun

1. Computer Slang. a series of angry, critical, or disparaging comments exchanged by two or more people in an ongoing online argument.

Word History and Origins

Origin of flame war¹

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

In the years after, she continued to struggle with mental health issues, admitting to issues with addiction and eating disorders, and indulged the occasional flame war with a commenter, all for the consumption of a shrinking audience.

From Salon

For the most part, DeSantis has resisted in engaging in a flame war with Trump, although holding his retreat a stone’s throw from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate likely won’t go unnoticed by the former president.

From Reuters

Amid all the Sturm und Drang — a world champion losing a game and quitting the tournament after just three rounds; a voluble rising American star now shadowed by accusations of cheating at the highest level; rule changes that strongly implied something fishy was going on; even a social media flame war over weird accents — they did manage to play the 9th Sinquefield Cup and produce an over-the-board winner.

From Washington Times

Michael Gerson’s June 28 op-ed, “Abortion calls for a sober debate, not a flame war,” was the most fair and balanced essay on Roe v.

From Washington Post

Mr. Rogen began to trend on Twitter when he squared off in a much-publicized flame war with Senator Ted Cruz of Texas that went on for days following Inauguration Day, suggesting that Mr. Cruz was fit for admiration only “if you’re a white supremacist fascist who doesn’t find it offensive when someone calls your wife ugly,” along with various obscenities.

From New York Times