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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 fly
CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Freezing fog makes driving, boating, flying, and other forms of transportation particularly hazardous.
—Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Jan. 2026
Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
Others who were unaccustomed to NBA playing time have been forced to adapt on the fly.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fly
Verb
The plane with two crew seats is capable of flying for about 6 1/2 hours at high altitudes — beyond 63,000 feet.
—CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Freezing fog makes driving, boating, flying, and other forms of transportation particularly hazardous.
—Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
Lost amid the euphoria of the first relevant Sharks season in a good long while is the fact that this team is still a collection of kids figuring things out on the fly.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
Others who were unaccustomed to NBA playing time have been forced to adapt on the fly.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fly
Verb
-
When temperatures hover around the freezing point, water under or in the pavement freezes and expands, pushing up on the road and stressing it in all directions.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Morning temps in Austin will hover near freezing, but afternoon highs will remain relatively mild, reaching the 50s from the Panhandle to the coast.—
Mary Wasson,
Austin American Statesman,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Austin Abrams stars as a scuba diver who, while searching for his father’s (Josh Brolin) body, gets swallowed and must find a way to escape.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Set in 1977, during Brazil’s military dictatorship, the thriller details Armando and his son in their efforts to escape the country in the midst of political turmoil.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Although many in the crowd were his constituents, some people traveled hours to show their support.—
Steve Large,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
-
In many international markets, direct-to-consumer pricing does not travel well.—
Kolawole Samuel Adebayo,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
No one was injured, and the suspects fled before deputies arrived.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Other offenses include fleeing from police, escaping from the Northeast Regional Corrections Center, theft, trespassing and giving police a false name.—
Tom Olsen,
Twin Cities,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And the risks from hostile actors in the Middle East and China haven’t disappeared either.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
-
That will not happen if the trooper disappears into the cavernous state building that devoured more than $200 million in public funds for a yearslong renovation project.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In addition to where in the stadium tickets can purchased, Razorback Foundation donor levels and priority points also dictate how parking passes around the stadium are distributed and how many tickets are available for purchase in certain sections.—
Matt Jones,
Arkansas Online,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Sullivan says the institutions requested the bill, which passed the Senate State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Committee 3-2, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed.—
Shaun Boyd,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Vigil seems to give you a wide canvas in which to explore that theme.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Rothko needed to fill a room with his canvases; Feldman needed to fill an evening with his music.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
While other teams may begun planing for the next window with a potential 2026 rookie QB on the horizon, the Steelers acquired countless veterans to win right here and right now.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
13 Jan. 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Fly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fly. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
