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
The hair-whipping, chest-thumping church founder uprooted her polarizing sect from Manchester, England, to Manhattan before fleeing farther still into the countryside.
—
Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Mabel befriends many of the animals that fled the glade and eventually inspires them to rise up against Jon Hamm’s Mayor Jerry, who wants to build a highway through the forest.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 9 Mar. 2026
One driver fled before officers arrived, while the other remained at the scene.
—Sacbee.com, 9 Mar. 2026
The fighting has also led foreigners to flee from business hubs and prompted millions to seek shelter as bombs hit sites including military bases, government buildings, oil and water installations, hotels and at least one school.
—Samy Magdy, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flee
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Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Mabel befriends many of the animals that fled the glade and eventually inspires them to rise up against Jon Hamm’s Mayor Jerry, who wants to build a highway through the forest.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 9 Mar. 2026
One driver fled before officers arrived, while the other remained at the scene.
—Sacbee.com, 9 Mar. 2026
The fighting has also led foreigners to flee from business hubs and prompted millions to seek shelter as bombs hit sites including military bases, government buildings, oil and water installations, hotels and at least one school.
—Samy Magdy, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 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 14 Mar. 2026.
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