1
as in to hover
to move through the air with or as if with outstretched wings
the Wright brothers realized mankind's age-old wish to fly
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2
as in to escape
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
you must fly to safety immediately
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to travel
to proceed or move quickly
flew down the concourse to catch his flight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to flee
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
no one in the movies ever thinks to fly from the ax murderer and immediately call the police
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to disappear
to cease to be visible
the morning mist had flown, and a sparkling sea lay before us
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to pass
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval
the familiar "Because I said so!" is a reason that won't fly with most teenagers
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fly
Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2025
This two-day event celebrates life in the desert, starting with a fly over and a parade on Saturday morning.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Oct. 2025
Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2025
Some people in Pecos were skeptical at the idea of flying local strays thousands of miles, including the area’s lone veterinarian, Ronald Box.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fly
Verb
The helipad, which owners can reserve on a dedicated website from anywhere around the world, according to co-listing agent Jill Hertzberg of the Jills Zeder Group, speaks to an emerging trend around fly-in communities.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2025
This two-day event celebrates life in the desert, starting with a fly over and a parade on Saturday morning.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
Then, imagine those color-changing mountains reflected in the briny water of desert salt flats, a mirage that ripples when local flamingos fly by in twos and threes.
—Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2025
Some people in Pecos were skeptical at the idea of flying local strays thousands of miles, including the area’s lone veterinarian, Ronald Box.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fly
Verb
-
Weekly jobless claims remain volatile, hovering around 217,000 as of mid-October, while consumer confidence has stagnated at historically low levels.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Just smear fake blood on your face, get gussied up in your finest wedding attire, and make sure to pose throughout the night, your lips hovering just inches away from each other, but never quite touching.—
James Factora,
Them.,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Most likely their presence would have forced the Americans to postpone their efforts to escape.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Oct. 2025
-
The dog had allegedly been wearing an electronic fence collar to prevent it from escaping its residence.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The only surefire way to avoid this modern-day traveler's burnout is by taking the path less traveled.—
Travel + Leisure,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Law previously shared updates of Kinley as a baby, including the two of them traveling, playing together and dressing up.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In the backdrop, the swearing-in of Randrianirina as Madagascar’s new president on October 15, having forced former President Andry Rajoelina to flee the country, had had a mixed response at home and more widely across the region.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
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Path to peace is uncertain Fearing the truce may collapse, some Palestinians rushed to buy goods from a main market in Nuseirat and families fled their homes in Khan Younis further south, after airstrikes hit nearby.—
Alexander Cornwell,
USA Today,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Thinning and disappearing sea ice also disrupts Arctic seals’ feeding habits and makes the Arctic more accessible to humans, which further increases the overall risk to these species.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Bystanders captured video showing the jet corkscrewing toward the ground, then disappearing behind homes before a large black plume of smoke appears.—
Pete Muntean,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The quarterback play simply isn’t good enough to out-score opponents, or even force them into pass-heavy play scripts.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Game 3’s mid-afternoon start time suited TV but made things even more difficult for hitters as shadows passed in front of the plate, eventually to the outfield.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In 2021, a man planed to propose to his girlfriend during a romantic gondola ride in Las Vegas, with passersby stopping to watch and record the sweet moment.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
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The Magellano’s Dual Mode Hull, a signature feature that has been on the vessels since the series started, is a semi-planing hull with a vertical bow.—
Tristan Rutherford,
Robb Report,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The politically motivated preemption of the late-night program following host Jimmy Kimmel's brief remarks regarding the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk drove a massive wave of Disney+ subscription cancellations, a new report from the research firm Antenna shows, per The New York Times.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Oct. 2025
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Fortune reports on air traffic controllers who are driving for Uber and DoorDash to make ends meet.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fly. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
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