flier

noun

fli·​er ˈflī(-ə)r 

variants or less commonly flyer

1

: one that flies

She's a frequent flier on that airline.

specifically : airman

He was a flier on an aircraft carrier.

2

: a reckless or speculative venture

—usually used in the phrase take a flier

He took a flier in politics soon after getting his degree.

3

usually flyer : an advertising circular

Flyers announcing the concert were distributed throughout the city.

Synonyms of flier

• gamble
• chance
• venture
• throw

Examples of flier in a Sentence

These birds are graceful fliers.

They distributed flyers announcing the concert throughout the city.

Recent Examples on the Web

People know them — the pioneering flier and the Teamsters union president — because both of them vanished dramatically. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026

Every frequent flier knows that athleisure is a key part of any versatile travel wardrobe. —Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2026

Hawaiian Airlines also canceled its daily flight on the same route in 2025, citing similarly weak demand from fliers. —Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Feb. 2026

Missing person flier seeking information about the whereabouts of Tyler Bojanowski. —Paula Wethington, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing flier

• frequent-flier
• take a flier

Rhymes for flier

• briar
• brier
• buyer
• choir
• crier
• cryer
• drier
• dryer
• eyer
• flyer
• friar
• frier

Kids Definition

flier

noun

fli·​er

variants also flyer

ˈflī(-ə)r

1

: one that flies

especially : pilot entry 1 sense 3

2

: an undertaking (as in business) that involves much risk

3

: an advertising circular