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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fly
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
24 June 2026
Driverless cars and flying taxis may still be on the agenda, but the new 55 dirham ($15) route from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah — cutting about 40 minutes of drive time — has long been anticipated by road-weary residents.
—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
24 June 2026
Ana Goñi-Lessan,
Sun Sentinel,
11 June 2026
Yet the fly began to make a comeback in 2023, likely reemerging in Panama among animals during a migrant surge northward.
—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fly
Verb
Warmer weather does make balls fly farther, Zerillo wrote, but usually by less than 5 feet.
—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
24 June 2026
Driverless cars and flying taxis may still be on the agenda, but the new 55 dirham ($15) route from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah — cutting about 40 minutes of drive time — has long been anticipated by road-weary residents.
—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
24 June 2026
Noun
The state created protocols to protect Florida’s cattle herds from the parasitic fly one day after it was found in Texas and enacted a temporary moratorium on the importation of warm-blooded animals from affected areas through Friday.
—
Ana Goñi-Lessan,
Sun Sentinel,
11 June 2026
Yet the fly began to make a comeback in 2023, likely reemerging in Panama among animals during a migrant surge northward.
—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fly
Verb
-
The Oranje are leading possession and for the most part have been hovering perilously close to Tunisia’s net.
-
Euclid, which is hovering 930,0000 miles from Earth, captured the image with its visible light camera over 26 hours in March 2025.
Verb
-
The comedy series followed Kimmy Schmidt, a woman who tries to adjust to normal life by moving to New York City after escaping a cult.
-
Many high-achieving women, despite outward success, secretly feel exhausted and long to escape their demanding lives.
Verb
-
Schwarber’s first home run traveled 456 feet, while his second blast of the third inning measured 457 feet off Mets reliever Cionel Pérez.
-
Belief traveled sideways, not down.
Verb
-
Aegon, who was burned and crippled in Season 2, fled with Larys Strong (Matthew Needham), leaving his cruel, one-eyed brother Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) to sit on the Iron Throne.
-
Parsis are their descendants, a people who fled religious persecution and built a life for themselves on India’s west coast.
Verb
-
Maybe your flight was canceled, your luggage disappeared, you got stranded overseas, missed a cruise departure or learned a hard lesson the hard way.
-
But bikes like this are a reminder of why the lightweight enduro class refuses to disappear.
Verb
-
Then the youngest of the trio, the front-seat passenger, whom Shahsavani believed was closer to 10, joined the duo in sitting on the window opening as the vehicle passed Stewart Street.
-
The legislation — a major priority for both Republicans and Democrats ahead of this fall's midterm elections — passed overwhelmingly, with a final tally of 358-32.
Noun
-
Hence shirt jackets and safari jackets in linen and leather came to the fore, as did denim Bermudas, linen polos and lots of lifestyle knits amid its more formal, full-canvas tailoring — styled with a loosened tie.
-
Dress the duo down with sneakers and a canvas tote bag, or dress it up with platform slides and chunky hoop earrings.
Verb
-
The body then glides over the top of the windshield and starts flipping through the air over the roof.
-
Directed by Child and filmed in Whack’s hometown of Philadelphia, the song’s black-and-white visuals transform familiar city streets into a monochrome maze where Whack glides through scenes with the oozing confidence of someone ready to reclaim her narrative.
Cite this Entry
“Fly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fly. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
