1
as in to hover
to move through the air with or as if with outstretched wings
the Wright brothers realized mankind's age-old wish to fly
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2
as in to escape
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
you must fly to safety immediately
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to travel
to proceed or move quickly
flew down the concourse to catch his flight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to flee
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
no one in the movies ever thinks to fly from the ax murderer and immediately call the police
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to disappear
to cease to be visible
the morning mist had flown, and a sparkling sea lay before us
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to pass
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval
the familiar "Because I said so!" is a reason that won't fly with most teenagers
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fly
Josh Dinner, Space.com, 9 Jan. 2026
This is a view worth flying for.
—Meaghan Kenny, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Jan. 2026
Jennifer Stewart Kornegay, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2025
Follow the duo packraft and fly-fish on clear, empty waters, then read more guidance below to adventures in and near the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
—Outside, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fly
Verb
Artemis 2 will be Orion's first venture into space with astronauts aboard, and will fly humans around the moon for the first time since 1972 and the end of NASA's Apollo missions.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 9 Jan. 2026
This is a view worth flying for.
—Meaghan Kenny, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
Each fall, a unique prize awaits in its Black Creek currents; the creek is one of only a handful of spots in the state where fly-fisherman can cast for rainbow trout.
—Jennifer Stewart Kornegay, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2025
Follow the duo packraft and fly-fish on clear, empty waters, then read more guidance below to adventures in and near the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
—Outside, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fly
Verb
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But the dark cloud that’s been hovering over the Flyers’ generally solid first month of the season — the lack of production from Michkov — may have finally started to lift.—
Kevin Kurz,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Designer Chad Graci applied it to living-room ceilings of a private residence at the Four Seasons in New Orleans, where the lacquer hovers overhead like a shimmering pond.—
Kathryn O’Shea-Evans,
Robb Report,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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When officers began to chase him, Rustrian turned off his car’s lights to try to escape police.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Many winter Texans flock to the city to escape colder temperatures up north, and Mexican citizens also frequent the city for shopping and business.—
Amanda Ogle,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The slim design makes this perfect for travelling, with easy stowing in suitcases or backpacks.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Despite the losses, Damon traveled to Texas and won the national title, dedicating the victory to his family and supporters.—
Nina Burns,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The tanker, Bella 1, had renamed itself Marinera and registered under the Russian flag after fleeing the region, according to an intelligence report from AI maritime analytics firm Windward.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
7 Jan. 2026
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Instead of stopping to help the victim, the driver fled from the area.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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More than century later, Veblen’s theory hasn’t disappeared.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Pike played Amy Elliott Dunne opposite Ben Affleck’s Nick in director David Fincher's film adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s 2012 novel about a wife who mysteriously disappears.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Idaho has history of laws targeting trans people Over the past several years, the Idaho Legislature and lawmakers across the country have passed a series of bills targeting transgender youth and adults, several of which are now being litigated.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Jan. 2026
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Recall that a year prior to Wardlaw passing her hot check, criminal court records confirm her guilty disposition for the crime of skipping out on a wholly different criminal-court appearance, which is a class C misdemeanor.—
Robert Steinbuch,
Arkansas Online,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Participants can sculpt with air-dry clay, paint on canvas, or craft a collage or mixed-media piece such as a design vision board.—
Staff Author,
Southern Living,
9 Nov. 2025
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Yet those soldiers and sailors had to stretch across a vast global canvas, leaving fewer than three in ten of them to try to rout the insurgents in North America.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In 2021, a man planed to propose to his girlfriend during a romantic gondola ride in Las Vegas, with passersby stopping to watch and record the sweet moment.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
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The Magellano’s Dual Mode Hull, a signature feature that has been on the vessels since the series started, is a semi-planing hull with a vertical bow.—
Tristan Rutherford,
Robb Report,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fly. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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