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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flee
In 2019, Nadiia Mudryk-Mochalova fled to Chornobyl, as the Ukrainians spell it, for work — after moving to Kyiv with her daughters to escape the armed men who occupied their town in the eastern Luhansk region near the Russian border.
—
Serhiy Morgunov, Washington Post, 26 Apr. 2026
The gunman then fled the hospital to a nearby home several blocks away within Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood, sources said.
—Asal Rezaei, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
The off-duty officers on scene told dispatch a shooting occurred and gave details on the people and vehicles believed to be involved who were fleeing the area.
—Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2026
That policy left thousands of refugees, who fled war and persecution and had gone through a sometimes yearslong vetting process to start new lives in America, stranded at places worldwide, including the base in Qatar.
—Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flee
Serhiy Morgunov, Washington Post, 26 Apr. 2026
The gunman then fled the hospital to a nearby home several blocks away within Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood, sources said.
—Asal Rezaei, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
The off-duty officers on scene told dispatch a shooting occurred and gave details on the people and vehicles believed to be involved who were fleeing the area.
—Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2026
That policy left thousands of refugees, who fled war and persecution and had gone through a sometimes yearslong vetting process to start new lives in America, stranded at places worldwide, including the base in Qatar.
—Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flee
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flee
Verb
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The core of the mystery centers on at least 10 individuals allegedly connected to key nuclear and aerospace research who have died or disappeared, igniting widespread online speculation about potential sinister activity.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
25 Apr. 2026
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This cannot be another commission that produces a report and disappears.—
Darlene Mealy,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The irony of the baseball game did not escape me, the two of us sitting next to each other, enjoying America’s pastime together, the way a father and son might do.—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
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Ask Theo Epstein, who once escaped the Henry regime in a gorilla suit, only to return, win a second Series and then bolt for the Chicago Cubs.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Rebel, not knowing whether the ball was caught, didn’t retreat back to first, Gilbert said.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
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Japan and South Korea stocks hit record highs overnight, before Asia-Pacific markets retreated into negative territory, following the reports of Iran tanker interceptions.—
Hugh Leask,Holly Ellyatt,Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Addy Watson got the Pioneers going with a 2-run home run in the top of the first inning only to see its lead vanish a half inning later fueled by Lawton’s grand slam to deep left field.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Apr. 2026
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While price remains the top deterrent at 67 percent, the gap between affordability and availability has nearly vanished.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For so long this season, Arsenal were flying high at the summit of the division and looked destined to end their 22-year wait for the title.—
Nnamdi Onyeagwara,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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There are flying cars held at bay by the power of telekenesis and Park teleporting, as the crew clumsily accept their new ‘hero’ roles and attempt to take on the villains threatening the peace of Haeseong City.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Garments spanning nylon half-zips to French Terry sweatshirts, garments look faded and worn-in and feature hallmarks of denim like whiskers, creases, abrasions and breakages that tell stories of time and use.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
24 Apr. 2026
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It's become the default mode of governing for majorities in Congress as bipartisanship on major issues fades away.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Her husband’s former colleagues had bolted a memorial plaque to him on the wall between the third and fourth reactor units.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
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Instead of bearing fishing poles, most have Soviet-era heavy machine guns bolted to their bows with a small rocket launcher atop.—
Jon Gambrell,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But the umpires ruled the play still live and Antonacci ran around the bases for a two-run, inside-the-park home run.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
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Region Direct connects the Fan Festival to 15 locations across the metro (including Lawrence, Independence, Overland Park and more) with buses running every 20 minutes (30 minutes for Lawrence).—
Taylor Haught,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flee. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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