flies 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of fly
1
as in hovers
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

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2
3
4
5
6
as in passes
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

flies

2 of 2

noun

plural of fly

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 flies
Verb
Here, a quilt flies over the spacious skies of Utah’s Dead Horse Point State Park (an area threatened by drilling permits approved by the US Bureau of Land Management) bearing Wes Gordon’s Georgia, Ashlynn Park’s Arkansas, and Sergio Hudson’s South Carolina, among others. Alexandra Hildreth, Vogue, 23 June 2026 The Lions are not typically a team that flies counter to recognizing social justice causes. Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 June 2026 One boy, who doesn’t appear to have any friends, all of a sudden is stunned when one of the Buzz Lightyear drones flies down to him. Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026 Today, America's most iconic bird has recovered its population and flies free. Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 19 June 2026 This new configuration of the H3 rocket, designated the H3-30S, flies without the aid of solid rocket boosters. Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 19 June 2026 The missile flies at low altitude, closely following terrain features such as hills, valleys, and coastlines to remain below enemy radar coverage. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 16 June 2026 An eagle flies throughout the United States and ends up in Kansas in a cool nod to Lawrence. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2026 The American flag flies behind a Wall Street sign near the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City on April 22, 2026. Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 15 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flies
Verb
  • The population hovers at just over 200.
    John Lauritsen, CBS News, 18 June 2026
  • Building on a recurring motif of witches, Woods has Emily and Sylvia lift off during a thunderstorm, soaring above the city skyline in a sequence that hovers between dream and fantasy.
    Natalia Winkelman, Variety, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • This one remains scoreless after some early tension, and Austria escapes a close call.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 June 2026
  • How to Get There Remote escapes, by definition, are hard to reach, but the Northern Neck is accessible from a few cities.
    Simon Davidson, Travel + Leisure, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • That goes for much here, from the light that scurries away from Benjamín Echazarreta’s muted camera, to the moments of sweetness that punctuate Mariá Portugal’s largely ominous score.
    Jessica Kiang, Variety, 14 May 2026
  • The way Radcliffe scurries out of his chair and into the green room to meet Liu illustrates her visceral impact.
    Marcus Thompson II, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • With no idea what's going on, Dylan flees the FBC to find that the Hiss — otherworldly crimson monsters from another dimension — have overrun Manhattan.
    George Yang, Space.com, 22 June 2026
  • The original Ballerina – which was voiced in English by Elle Fanning and Dane DeHaan and in French by Camille Cottin and Malik Bentalha – followed a young girl who flees a rural orphanage to pursue her dream of becoming a ballerina at the Paris Grand Opera House.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • Every year, about 90% of Central Oregon’s Deschutes River disappears into networks of canals and pipes traversing high desert.
    Emily Cureton Cook, ProPublica, 26 June 2026
  • That doesn't necessarily mean every debt automatically disappears, however.
    Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • Then this private driveway passes fruit trees, a vineyard, and mature plantings, before finally reaching the impressive colonial that is at the heart of this nearly four-acre country estate at 46 Andrews Road in Wolcott.
    James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2026
  • While there are no rideshare services available in Cannon Beach, there is a NW Connector bus route that runs multiple stops in town, with three-day passes available for $25 or seven-day passes for $30.
    Molly Allen, Travel + Leisure, 21 June 2026
Noun
  • Two years after a tragic conclusion, House of the Dragon is ready to set our screens ablaze with its third and highly anticipated season, available on HBO Max.
    Francesca Pellegrini, Vanity Fair, 22 June 2026
  • For our weary eyeballs, strained and tired from long periods locked onto screens, rest and relaxation can do wonders.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • This news soon wings its way to Irv Ravitz (Tibor Feldman), the magazine’s publisher, who hires her to be Runway’s features editor.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Flies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flies. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

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