fled
ˈfled 
; fleeing
; fleeing
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
: 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
In one case, an eleven-year-old boy and his parents fled Mongolia, flying to Chicago with the intention of seeking asylum.
—
Sarah Stillman, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
The pursuit ended with Wilkins fleeing the vehicle on foot, with two officers in pursuit.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
An image taken from surveillance video of a suspect fleeing after throwing a Molotov cocktail and hitting a gate outside the home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
—Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Dick started making headlines earlier this month when reports surfaced that a woman had tracked Buckingham to a Santa Monica location and threw a substance at him before fleeing.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flee
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Sarah Stillman, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
The pursuit ended with Wilkins fleeing the vehicle on foot, with two officers in pursuit.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
An image taken from surveillance video of a suspect fleeing after throwing a Molotov cocktail and hitting a gate outside the home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
—Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Dick started making headlines earlier this month when reports surfaced that a woman had tracked Buckingham to a Santa Monica location and threw a substance at him before fleeing.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flee
Cite this Entry
“Flee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flee. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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