flee

verb

fled ˈfled How to pronounce flee (audio) ; fleeing
Synonyms of fleenext

intransitive verb

1
a
: to run away often from danger or evil : fly
The family fled from the war-torn zone.
b
: to hurry toward a place of security
Refugees fled to a neighboring country.
c
law : to evade arrest, detention, or prosecution
2
: to pass away swiftly : vanish
mists fleeing before the rising sun

transitive verb

: to run away from
fled the scene of the accident
Many people fled the city to escape the fighting.

Examples of flee in a Sentence

The family fled from Nazi Germany to Britain in 1936. He was accused of trying to flee the scene of the accident. Many people fled the city to escape the fighting. He was forced to flee the country.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Once Louis and Claudia tried to kill and flee Lestat, Louis and Armand formed a relationship in Paris while Claudia and Madeleine fell in love. Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 7 June 2026 Footage that circulated on social media appeared to capture festivalgoers fleeing from the shots as chaos erupted. N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 7 June 2026 His mother, fearful for her youngest son, pleaded with him to flee the country. Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026 Despite getting the Prius to spin 180 degrees, the driver continued to flee from deputies. Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 7 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for flee

Word History

Etymology

Middle English flen, from Old English flēon; akin to Old High German fliohan to flee

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of flee was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flee. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

flee

verb
fled ˈfled How to pronounce flee (audio) ; fleeing
1
a
: to run away often from danger or evil : fly
b
: to run away from : shun
2
: to pass away swiftly : vanish
the mist fled before the rising sun

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