fleet

1 of 3

noun

1
: a number of warships under a single command
specifically : an organization of ships and aircraft under the command of a flag officer
2
: group sense 2a
especially : a group (as of ships, planes, or trucks) operated under unified control

fleet

2 of 3

adjective

1
: swift in motion : nimble
2
fleetly adverb
fleetness noun

fleet

3 of 3

verb

fleeted; fleeting; fleets

intransitive verb

1
a
: to fade away : vanish
b
archaic : flow
2
[fleet entry 2] : to fly swiftly
clouds fleeting across the sky
3
obsolete : drift

transitive verb

: to cause (time) to pass usually quickly or imperceptibly
many young gentlemen … fleet the time carelesslyWilliam Shakespeare
Choose the Right Synonym for fleet

fast, rapid, swift, fleet, quick, speedy, hasty, expeditious mean moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity.

fast and rapid are very close in meaning, but fast applies particularly to the thing that moves

fast horses

and rapid to the movement itself.

rapid current

swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement.

returned the ball with one swift stroke

fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness.

fleet runners

quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time.

a quick wit

speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment

speedy delivery of mail

and may also suggest unusual velocity.

hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness.

a hasty inspection

expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment.

the expeditious handling of an order

Examples of fleet in a Sentence

Noun He was the commander of the Pacific fleet. The company has a large fleet of delivery trucks. Adjective a jewel thief said to be light of heart and fleet of foot
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.
Noun
The Feilong-300D, the report added, offers smaller nations a low-cost but capable weapon for building their own unmanned combat fleets. Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2025 One summer night in 1999, McChesney was conducting a traffic stop when a Crown Victoria – the sedan that dominated police fleets for decades – with exempt plates made a sudden U-turn and pulled up behind his patrol car. Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
This approach lowers costs, accelerates delivery, and — by integrating superior technology on these platforms at scale — ensures that America has both the fleet size and the industrial depth needed to respond to a crisis. Big Think, 28 Oct. 2025 Fiji Airways is the smallest airline by fleet size to ever receive the honor and the only airline in Oceania to win, according to the carrier. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
Venus in Virgo wants your love life to feel practical and nourishing, not just fleeting fun. Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 14 Sep. 2025 While some people may experience fleeting sugar and caffeine withdrawal symptoms, ditching soda from your diet can lead to a host of long-term health benefits. Sarah Garone, Health, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fleet

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English flete, from Old English flēot ship, from flēotan

Adjective

probably from fleet entry 3

Verb

Middle English fleten, from Old English flēotan; akin to Old High German fliozzan to float, Old English flōwan to flow

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

circa 1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 3

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fleet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fleet. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

fleet

1 of 2 noun
1
: a group of warships under one command
2
: a group of ships or vehicles that move together or are under one management
a fleet of taxis
a fishing fleet

fleet

2 of 2 adjective
: very swift
fleet of foot
fleetly adverb
fleetness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fleet

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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