flee

verb

fled ˈfled How to pronounce flee (audio) ; fleeing
Synonyms of fleenext

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.
c
law : to evade arrest, detention, or prosecution
2
: to pass away swiftly : vanish
mists fleeing before the rising sun

transitive verb

: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Kate Langston, a supervisory special agent with the Diplomatic Security Service, the law-enforcement arm of the State Department, first heard about Djena in the fall of 2016, a few weeks after Djena fled the Toures’ house. Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026 Prosecutors said that bystanders dialed 911 during the attack, but McHenry fled the scene, the outlet reported. Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026 The shelter-in-place order was later lifted after the two suspects were taken into custody, though police said a possible third person fled from a vehicle stop in the Manor area. Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026 The suspect tried to flee the scene but was stopped and detained by civilians, fire officials told The Times. Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for flee

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of flee was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flee. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

flee

verb
fled ˈfled How to pronounce flee (audio) ; fleeing
1
a
: to run away often from danger or evil : fly
b
: to run away from : shun
2
: to pass away swiftly : vanish
the mist fled before the rising sun

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