Definition of flee
fled
play \ˈfled\;fleeing
intransitive verb
1a : 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.
2 : to pass away swiftly : vanish mists fleeing before the rising sun
transitive verb
: to run away from : shun Many people fled the city to escape the fighting.
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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 of flee from the Web
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India’s continued hosting of the Dalai Lama, who fled into exile in 1959, riles Beijing.
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection had to tackle her to stop her from fleeing, Mellor told the judge.
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A vehicle with two people who fled from the scene of a shooting crashed in Independence late Monday, and police found the shooting victim inside, according to police.
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Deputies and police from several jurisdictions, including the Hamilton County Aviation Unit, responded to assist with locating the male who fled.
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Cameroon is believed to host around 200,000 migrants in the Far North, including around 57,000 refugees who have fled violence in Nigeria.
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After firing at least 13 rounds which struck the victim, his home, and his neighbor's home, the two shooters fled into the woods.
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The store manager pulled out a pistol and the suspect backed up and shot the manager in the arm before fleeing, said Dolton Police Chief Robert Collins.
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But my family was in a similar position as those folks fleeing famine and destitution.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'flee.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of flee
Middle English flen, from Old English flēon; akin to Old High German fliohan to flee
FLEE Defined for English Language Learners
flee
playDefinition of flee for English Language Learners
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: to run away from danger
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: to run away from (a place)
FLEE Defined for Kids
flee
playDefinition of flee for Students
fled
\ˈfled\;fleeing
: to run away or away from Animals fled the fire.
Learn More about flee
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See words that rhyme with flee Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for flee Spanish Central: Translation of flee Nglish: Translation of flee for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of flee for Arabic speakers
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