flee

verb

\ ˈflē

fled\ ˈfled

\; fleeing

Definition of flee

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.

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about flee

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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 on the Web

Accompanied by more than 60 other doctors, nurses and clinicians from Christ, Barin spent 10 days triaging and administering primary care to refugees who had fled the civil war in Syria. — Donna Vickroy, Daily Southtown, "Advocate humanitarian award, scholarship fund spotlight Christ Hospital's medical relief work," 4 July 2018 Bird Box is about a mother fleeing with her children in the wake of an unknown global terror. — Michaela Bechler, Vogue, "5 New Netflix Movies We’re Excited About This Fall," 10 Aug. 2018 However, Holocaust researchers have also collected ample evidence of Polish villagers who murdered Jews fleeing the Nazis, or Polish blackmailers who preyed on the Jews for financial gain and stole their property. — Aron Heller, The Seattle Times, "Israel hosts east European leaders after summit scrapped," 19 Feb. 2019 Arizona last year attracted more than 122,000 newcomers, many fleeing states with crushing regulation and taxes. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "An Arizona Occupational Welcome," 18 Feb. 2019 Anger turned to sobbing turned to fleeing the set and getting a hotel room. — Zoe Weiner, Glamour, "Chrissy Teigen Says She Once Had a ‘Meltdown’ Over a Woman in John Legend’s Music Video," 30 July 2018 All sorts of Americans, from Mormons fleeing persecution to those eyeing a potential Gold Rush, settled into the area. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "The Hoover Dam Changed America—And It Might Do It Again," 27 July 2018 The most interesting part of Juli Hayden’s commentary is not her thoughts regarding immigration, calls for border security or her perception that fleeing Central American migrants are an imminent threat. — latimes.com, "Immigrants want what we have: the American Dream," 12 July 2018 That led to imaginative stories about a fugitive fleeing a lynch mob. — The Economist, "A mummy’s final meal adds to an ancient mystery," 12 July 2018

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.