flier

1 of 2

noun (1)

fli·​er ˈflī(-ə)r How to pronounce flier (audio)
variants or less commonly flyer
Synonyms of fliernext
1
: one that flies
She's a frequent flier on that airline.
specifically : airman
He was a flier on an aircraft carrier.
2
: a reckless or speculative venture
usually used in the phrase take a flier
He took a flier in politics soon after getting his degree.
3
usually flyer : an advertising circular
Flyers announcing the concert were distributed throughout the city.

flyer

2 of 2

noun (2)

fly·​er

less common spelling of flier

1
: one that flies
She's a frequent flier on that airline.
specifically : airman
He was a flier on an aircraft carrier.
2
: a reckless or speculative venture
usually used in the phrase take a flier
He took a flier in politics soon after getting his degree.
3
usually flyer : an advertising circular
Flyers announcing the concert were distributed throughout the city.

Examples of flier in a Sentence

Noun (1) These birds are graceful fliers. They distributed flyers announcing the concert throughout the city.
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.
Noun
With habitats in place, along with solar and nuclear power stations, rotating astronaut crews could live and work on the moon for long durations much like space station fliers have done in Earth orbit for the past quarter century. William Harwood, CBS News, 9 June 2026 The crew, set to launch as soon as late 2027, includes three NASA astronauts — first-time space flier Andre Douglas, record-setting astronaut Frank Rubio, and veteran flier and test pilot Randy Bresnik — as well as Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano with the European Space Agency. Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Noun
Miami police released a flyer saying the driver of a possible 2023-2026 Blue Honda Accord is wanted for questioning in relation to the hit-and-run fatality. Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 14 June 2026 Pilots are highly trained to problem solve, and this tiny tool is a go-to travel hack for some of the most frequent flyers. Kristy Alpert, Travel + Leisure, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for flier

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of flier was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flier. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

flier

noun
fli·​er
variants also flyer
ˈflī(-ə)r
1
: one that flies
especially : pilot entry 1 sense 3
2
: an undertaking (as in business) that involves much risk
3
: an advertising circular

More from Merriam-Webster on flier

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster