flee

verb

ˈflē 

fled ˈfled  ; fleeing

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.

Synonyms of flee

• disappear
• vanish
• fade
• fly

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

After the shooting, Landry fled the residence and the military base, but he was later arrested during a traffic stop on Interstate 85 by the Meriwether County Sheriff’s Office. —Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026

According to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, 23-year-old Jefry Julian Chaucanes Vasquez of Miami Gardens was taken into custody Friday evening after allegedly stealing a vehicle and fleeing from the Florida Highway Patrol. —Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 14 June 2026

Firms stop hiring entry-level talent—contributing to youth unemployment rates hovering near 5-6% for recent graduates—while top performers flee toxic environments. —Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026

The woman managed to break away from him and fled. —Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 14 June 2026

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

Phrases Containing flee

• leave/flee the nest

Rhymes for flee

• be
• bee
• bree
• cree
• fee
• flea
• free
• gee
• ghee
• glee
• he
• ki

Kids Definition

flee

verb

ˈflē 

fled ˈfled  ; 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