flee

verb \ ˈflē \

Updated on: 17 Apr 2018

Definition of flee

fled play \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.

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.

See flee defined for English-language learners

See flee defined for kids

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

Since the start of the war, more than 465,000 Syrians have been killed, 1 million more have been injured, and 12 million - more than half the country's population - have been forced to flee their homes.

— amanda erickson, chicagotribune.com, "Six basic questions about the war in Syria," 14 Apr. 2018
Gerstel Weit's father, a diamond dealer with a wife and four children, decided to flee in 1941.

— CBS News, "76 years later, childhood Holocaust survivors reunite in California," 13 Apr. 2018
Their first impulse when threatened—an impulse Charley shares—is to flee.

— j.r. jones, Chicago Reader, "Lean on Pete tells the story of a horse and a teenager who feels like one," 12 Apr. 2018
Escape routes at the Route 91 Harvest Music festival in Las Vegas were a significant issue, as the gunman on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort fired on the crowd below, where there were few gates for fans to flee through.

— richard winton, latimes.com, "Coachella: Police using army of drones to boost security in wake of Las Vegas massacre," 12 Apr. 2018
Eventually one tire was hit, but the suspects continued to flee and tossed out a bag of heroin and a handgun from the vehicle, the report said.

— isabelle d'antonio, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Volusia deputies catch fleeing armed-robbery suspects," 12 Apr. 2018
The suspect is said to have fled on foot and officers from neighboring communities are assisting in the search, according to Channel 7.

— brandon patterson, Detroit Free Press, "Man stabbed at Utica townhouse behind Dave and Busters," 12 Apr. 2018
Forced to flee her home and flag down a stranger in order to call the police.

— ann killion, San Francisco Chronicle, "49ers’ response to Foster charges is shameful," 12 Apr. 2018
The area north of the bayou in this vicinity was settled by German immigrants starting in 1839, but received the bulk of its founding pioneers in 1848, when war and poverty in Europe caused thousands of Germans to flee to the United States.

— staff report, Houston Chronicle, "Memorial Villages Heritage Trail receives five Harris County historical markers," 11 Apr. 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.

Origin and Etymology of flee

Middle English flen, from Old English flēon; akin to Old High German fliohan to flee

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First Known Use: before 12th century

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flee Synonyms

Phrases

drop out of sight;

FLEE Defined for English Language Learners

flee

verb

Definition of flee for English Language Learners

: to run away from danger
: to run away from (a place)

FLEE Defined for Kids

flee

verb \ ˈflē \

Definition of flee for Students

fled \ˈfled\; fleeing

: to run away or away from

Animals fled the fire.

Learn More about flee

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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flee

Definition of flee

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Recent Examples of flee from the Web

Origin and Etymology of flee

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FLEE Defined for English Language Learners

flee

Definition of flee for English Language Learners

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flee

Definition of flee for Students

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