1
as in disappearing
to cease to be visible
the fog fled with the arrival of the dawn
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in escaping
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
a murderer who fled on foot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in retreating
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
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Recent Examples of fleeing
In December 2025, a man was shot in the leg during a fight, with the shooter fleeing the scene.
—
Finch Walker, USA Today, 12 May 2026
The organization, known by its French acronym MSF, reported treating over 40 gunshot victims within 12 hours while providing temporary shelter to 800 people fleeing the violence.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
In a post on X on Monday morning, Delphine Gardère, the distillery’s owner, shared a video showing residents fleeing their homes in the dark.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
The suspect also shot a woman, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital, before fleeing the scene, according to police.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 May 2026
The ride-share driver told police that the occupant of another vehicle fired a gun at the car and hit the woman before fleeing the scene.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026
Videos show families fleeing their homes early in the morning Sunday – on Mother’s Day – cloaked by darkness with nothing more than backpacks.
—Megan Janetsky, Fortune, 10 May 2026
Edward Tiki Arrington, also known as Troy Mike Payton, is charged in Hennepin County with two counts of fleeing a peace officer resulting in death and one count of fleeing a peace officer resulting in great bodily harm.
—Wcco Staff, CBS News, 10 May 2026
Janette MacAusland, 49, is accused of killing her two children, Kai, 7, and Ella, 6, in their home last Friday before fleeing to Vermont.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Finch Walker, USA Today, 12 May 2026
The organization, known by its French acronym MSF, reported treating over 40 gunshot victims within 12 hours while providing temporary shelter to 800 people fleeing the violence.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
In a post on X on Monday morning, Delphine Gardère, the distillery’s owner, shared a video showing residents fleeing their homes in the dark.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
The suspect also shot a woman, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital, before fleeing the scene, according to police.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 May 2026
The ride-share driver told police that the occupant of another vehicle fired a gun at the car and hit the woman before fleeing the scene.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026
Videos show families fleeing their homes early in the morning Sunday – on Mother’s Day – cloaked by darkness with nothing more than backpacks.
—Megan Janetsky, Fortune, 10 May 2026
Edward Tiki Arrington, also known as Troy Mike Payton, is charged in Hennepin County with two counts of fleeing a peace officer resulting in death and one count of fleeing a peace officer resulting in great bodily harm.
—Wcco Staff, CBS News, 10 May 2026
Janette MacAusland, 49, is accused of killing her two children, Kai, 7, and Ella, 6, in their home last Friday before fleeing to Vermont.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fleeing
Verb
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His disappearing act also comes as the court battle has swung against him.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
14 May 2026
-
Dela Rosa, who returned to the Senate on Monday for the first time since disappearing from public view in November, has appealed to Marcos not to hand him over to the ICC.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
Verb
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The scientist told me repeatedly of escaping to the ship’s deck and surrounding himself with the openness of the ocean, the beauty of volcanic islands, the whales, the dolphins, the flying fish, and, above all, the seabirds.—
Akash Kapur,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
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Mott’s criminal record includes charges of burglary, criminal trespassing, criminal mischief and escaping from custody or a detention facility, according to online records.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
12 May 2026
Verb
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That deadlock prompted an unusually long recess of nearly 90 minutes that was followed by a 6-0 vote in favor of retreating on the bus stops.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
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Many of them have been linked to retreating glaciers, as melting ice destabilizes the mountains and land that had been covered for centuries.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Mann is presented as the Last Civilized Man of a vanishing era, whose words, spoken before audiences of officials, are lofty and inspiring.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
14 May 2026
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Despite the black-swan event of the Strait of Hormuz closing, wars in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, a slowing US labor market and the vanishing likelihood of the Fed cutting rates this year, tech stocks are on a tear.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Other things flying up include flexible repair patches for sealing the space station’s hull, a replacement ultrasonic inspection tool, spare units for the station’s vibration monitoring system and parts to improve water processing and oxygen generation.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 May 2026
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The pair got the gold-star treatment from some European designers, with Chanel flying them over to attend the fall show and to dine privately with Karl Lagerfeld.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
11 May 2026
Verb
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The trick is integrating them during the remodel, rather than bolting them on after a fall.—
Amy Kunst,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2026
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None bigger than the bombshell on April 28 that this OPEC stalwart for nearly 60 years is bolting.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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While fading blooms typically wilt or go limp, wilting of foliage or plant stems is a sign the plant is water stressed.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 May 2026
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Avoid placing rugs in prolonged direct sunlight as this can cause fading.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Then the Knicks coach, Mike Brown, tweaked the offense, running more of it through Towns, and the team became a juggernaut.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
10 May 2026
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People running this Daily News must live in a parallel universe.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fleeing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fleeing. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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