variants or less commonly flyer
Synonyms of fliernext
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.

flyer

2 of 2

noun (2)

fly·​er

less common spelling of flier

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.

Examples of flier in a Sentence

Noun (1) These birds are graceful fliers. They distributed flyers announcing the concert throughout the city.
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 industrials sector of the S&P 500 is trading at a price-to-earnings ratio above 30, a level investors more often associate with high fliers, and a P/E ratio that is well above industrials' long-term average, which is closer to 20. Paxton Honerkamp, CNBC, 26 July 2026 Frequent fliers and travelers requiring accommodations are often identified in advance to help crews deliver personalized service and coordinate onboard needs. Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 26 July 2026
Noun
With Liverpool’s Premier League season opener away to Newcastle United four weeks tomorrow, Iraola doesn’t yet have all the tools required to ensure his reign gets off to a flyer. James Pearce, New York Times, 25 July 2026 Hicks passed out flyers at the restaurant for about an hour-and-a-half but then headed to the Wynwood Walls, which was about a seven-minute drive away. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for flier

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of flier was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flier. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on flier

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster