flee

verb

ˈflē How to pronounce flee (audio)
Definition of fleenext
1
as in to disappear
to cease to be visible the fog fled with the arrival of the dawn

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to escape
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation a murderer who fled on foot

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to retreat
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening a toddler who fled when the ladybug he had been quietly watching suddenly began flying around the room

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of flee After the killing, suspects fled the home and allegedly burned a white vehicle, per La Nación. — Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026 Investigators have identified a San Diego police officer and an allegedly fleeing suspect involved in a shooting near a Morena riverbed last week, sheriff’s officials said. — Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2026 Police said that Jaime fled for a short distance but was quickly caught by responding officers. — Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 July 2026 Officers saw a man carrying a gun, who fled on foot, the police statement said. — Suzanne Gamboa, NBC news, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for flee
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flee
  1. disappear
  2. escape
  3. retreat
  4. vanish
  5. fly
  6. fade
  7. bolt
  8. run
Verb
  • Khalra’s investigation alleged that thousands of people who had disappeared were cremated anonymously by police without informing their families or maintaining official records.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2026
  • Bond has always been an intriguing vessel; by design, the spy is detached and isolated, a character who can disappear into the shadows and emerge totally fixated on a new mission with his past loves and losses brushed off with ease.
    — Emily Maskell, IndieWire, 10 July 2026
Definition of disappear
Verb
  • New research, however, suggests our planet has a better chance of escaping that fiery end than previously thought.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 8 July 2026
  • But Márquez escaped when Nolan Arenado lined a ball up the middle that second baseman Sung-Mun Song caught and ran to step on the bag for a double play.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026
Definition of escape
Verb
  • Once again, Brazil’s midfield is quickly retreating towards their own goal as Morocco pile forward.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 July 2026
  • Moreover, the shock of higher prices is still fresh in people's minds and may be coloring consumers' purchasing decisions, despite signs that prices should retreat further.
    — Zev Fima,Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 5 July 2026
Definition of retreat
Verb
  • While hopes of finding additional survivors have all but vanished, tens of thousands of families remain waiting for answers about relatives whose whereabouts are still unknown.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026
  • Michalski vanished after a night of clubbing in central Budapest; security footage led police to the suspect, who confessed and was convicted of murder without possibility of parole.
    — Associate Press, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Definition of vanish
Verb
  • Adeline André will close out the official calendar in Paris, on Thursday at 4pm, while a number of attendees will fly to Rome for the Fendi show that evening at the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea.
    — Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 6 July 2026
  • Norway and Brazil were locked in a tense, back-and-forth game Sunday, in the round of 16, until Haaland came flying in with that header to give Norway a 1-0 lead.
    — Tim Rohan, NBC news, 6 July 2026
Definition of fly
Verb
  • Markets had become comfortable with the idea that the conflict would gradually fade into the background but recent developments suggest that assumption may have been premature.
    — Hugh Leask,Chloe Taylor,Lee Ying Shan,Yun Li, CNBC, 7 July 2026
  • As the dance went on, more voices joined in and the music gradually faded, eventually disappearing.
    — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
Definition of fade
Verb
  • Timing your planting to avoid summer heat will prevent bolting.
    — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 7 July 2026
  • Many brands expand into experiences once product growth slows, bolting hospitality or lifestyle onto an existing business model.
    — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of bolt
Verb
  • Injuries, pitching problems, batting with runners in scoring position and base-running issues all come to mind quickly.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 11 July 2026
  • The TikTok edits, the outfit identification threads, the contestant rivalries trending on X by the end of an episode, all of it turns 60 minutes of passive viewing into a multi-platform conversation that runs all week.
    — Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Definition of run

Browse Nearby Words

fledglings
flee
fleece
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Cite this Entry

“Flee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flee. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on flee

Nglish: Translation of flee for Spanish Speakers

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