1
as in disappears
to cease to be visible
the fog fled with the arrival of the dawn
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in escapes
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
a murderer who fled on foot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in retreats
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 flees
Becca flees her home to escape her evil stepmother but receives support and friendship from several individuals before Evie mysteriously disappears in 1934.
—
The Know, Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2026
The president flees these tradeoffs as a matter of course and flip-flops unpredictably when pressures rise.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026
Benedict’s offer is met with deafening silence, before Sophie flees his embrace in distress.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 30 Jan. 2026
What else is going on A Maserati driver kills a man and a dog crossing a Sherman Oaks street, flees the scene and then abandons the car.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
An alien known only as Experiment 626 (Chris Sanders) flees his home planet and crash-lands in Hawaii, where he is adopted by a grieving young girl named Lilo (Daveigh Chase), who takes him for a dog and dubs him Stitch.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 27 Jan. 2026
Jimmy flees and Bundle chases him through the train.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
From there, the pressure ramps up, with glimpses of Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito in pursuit as the missing girl flees from danger.
—Lisa De Los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
Continue reading … OCEAN ESCAPE – Sanctioned tanker flees US forces, now under Russian naval escort off Irish coast.
—FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026
The Know, Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2026
The president flees these tradeoffs as a matter of course and flip-flops unpredictably when pressures rise.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026
Benedict’s offer is met with deafening silence, before Sophie flees his embrace in distress.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 30 Jan. 2026
What else is going on A Maserati driver kills a man and a dog crossing a Sherman Oaks street, flees the scene and then abandons the car.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
An alien known only as Experiment 626 (Chris Sanders) flees his home planet and crash-lands in Hawaii, where he is adopted by a grieving young girl named Lilo (Daveigh Chase), who takes him for a dog and dubs him Stitch.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 27 Jan. 2026
Jimmy flees and Bundle chases him through the train.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
From there, the pressure ramps up, with glimpses of Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito in pursuit as the missing girl flees from danger.
—Lisa De Los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
Continue reading … OCEAN ESCAPE – Sanctioned tanker flees US forces, now under Russian naval escort off Irish coast.
—FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flees
Verb
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His customers include older baby boomers and Gen X‑ers nostalgic for the players of their childhood, but most have been millennials like himself, drawn to something tactile and analog in an era when everything else disappears into the digital ether.—
Oliver Wang,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
That’s like the part of the map that disappears and there are dragons there.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But, when a zombie escapes a nearby military base, Dave, Miss Caroline, and a popular children's television host (Josh Gad) must band together to protect the young and fight off the walking dead.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Feb. 2026
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Come prepared for the weather, plan your indoor escapes and get ready for an unforgettable World Cup experience!—
Taylor Haught,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Totality ends and the umbra gradually retreats across the lunar surface.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Published in 1842, Poe’s story follows Prince Prospero, who retreats with a group of nobles into a fortified abbey as a deadly plague ravages the countryside.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And at that point, ushered into the floating mists of non-consensus with murmurings of political unease regarding content or intellectual befuddlement regarding style, the briefly sighted, singular beast of language vanishes from the visible landscape.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
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The story is driven by siblings Codi (10) and Vera (15), still reeling one year after their mother Loren vanishes during a mysterious accident at her hi-tech lab.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Delta Air Lines currently flies to Memphis, while Allegiant Air serves Knoxville.—
Alex Driggars,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Feb. 2026
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More large-scale battles are teased — including what appears to be the iconic Battle of the Gullet, where Rhaenyra’s son Jace flies his dragon against House Velaryon’s navy.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Singleton acknowledged that sustaining the coordinated, multi-agency model beyond the World Cup will be difficult once the spotlight fades.—
Cierra Morgan,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The continent’s funds have seen steady inflows over the last 12 months, after years of outflows, as pessimism over Europe’s economy fades.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Next, with the lights off, Dana runs a black light over Ilana’s body.—
Senior Television,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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The Downtown Dot, a free shuttle service operated by the local transit authority, runs seven days a week and stops near hotels, restaurants and attractions in the city’s core.—
Adam Kuehl,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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With that in mind, here are a few free agent options who could fit the Yankees if Bellinger bolts.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
14 Jan. 2026
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The canine then bolts across the field and is immediately chased by one horse, with about five more joining in moments later.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flees.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flees. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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