flit

verb

flitted; flitting

intransitive verb

1
: to pass quickly or abruptly from one place or condition to another
2
archaic : alter, shift
3
: to move in an erratic fluttering manner
flit noun

Examples of flit in a Sentence

butterflies flitting around the garden The hummingbird flitted from flower to flower. She was always flitting around the kitchen.
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.
Something seemed to flit before his eyes, perhaps a glimpse of himself flying across a football field, all velocity and bad intentions. Nick Stern, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025 Pulse is a ghost story, featuring two interwoven storylines about young Tokyoites who begin to see and hear strange apparitions flitting across their computer screens. Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025 Throughout the film, del Toro flits and hovers between contradictory ideas, with the restlessness of the beautiful butterflies that Elizabeth, an amateur entomologist, likes to study. Justin Chang, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025 The spaces are smaller, with lower benches, and the older players, flitting between dressing rooms for U14s and U12s, have had to take their belongings home each day rather than leave them in lockers due to the carousel of teams moving in and out. Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for flit

Word History

Etymology

Middle English flitten, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse flytjask to move, Old English flēotan to float

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of flit was in the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flit. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

flit

verb
flitted; flitting
: to move or progress in a quick irregular manner
flit noun

More from Merriam-Webster on flit

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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