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
Cygnus still flies today, for the aerospace giant Northrop Grumman, which bought Orbital Sciences in 2018. Mike Wall, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2026 The game speed is back as Gauff’s last-ditch volley flies just long. Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026 Cutting propulsion hardware and propellant costs can become significant when the same system flies across dozens of spacecraft. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2026 In 2021, Taima, who flies the team out of the tunnel, went for the crowd instead of her handler, again landing on a fan's head. Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026 But Brooke receives an unexpected call to adventure when a pigeon flies in her window one day. Marshall Shaffer, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026 The Tigers have surged to a 2-0 start behind a deep backfield and an aggressive defense that flies around the football. Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2026 There aren’t commercial airports in Antarctica, but Christner flies there. Jonathan Jones, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026 Valiant Air Command, which operates the Warbird Museum and flies aircraft out of the airport said in a social media post that none of their aircraft, crew members, staff or volunteers were involved. Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flies
Verb
  • Future Oscar-winning costume designer Sandy Powell hovers in the background and gives a brief interview, looking absurdly young.
    Jessica Kiang, Variety, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Yet, one story hovers over the organization and threatens to mar the good vibes.
    Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Google doesn’t assign CVE designations for V8 sandbox escapes.
    Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 9 Sep. 2026
  • One player may receive a yellow card for two offences, while another escapes after committing many more.
    Graham Scott, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Inside Botánica Santo Tomas in Wilton Manors, store owner Héctor Giovanni Pizarro Santana sweeps the floor as his tiny Chihuahua, Bella, scurries behind him.
    Delia Sauer, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, in King’s Landing, Alicent scurries the great halls, desperate to shore up support for her plan to hand Rhaenyra the Red Keep.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • When David flees before the FBI can arrest him, Teagan and her mother, Ella (Jessica Paré), are blindsided, and are forced to leave their affluent Los Angeles community for Ella’s hometown, Eagle’s Cove, a fictional town in Massachusetts.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026
  • But that’s not the property’s only claim to fame; the home also appeared in The Undoing, when Grace (played by Nicole Kidman) flees to the beach after her husband (Hugh Grant) goes missing.
    Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • When a patient of Julia’s daughter is murdered and her medical file disappears, the family becomes prime suspects.
    Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Firms cannot solve every gap by bringing in outside talent and hoping the problem disappears.
    Deepa Tailor, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Re-entry is not permitted for general admission ticket holders; VIP, Deluxe and Deluxe+ passes allow in-and-out privileges.
    Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Congress swiftly passes a resolution to uphold the civil rights of Muslims and Arabs, urging Americans to remain united.
    Reshma Memon Yaqub, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The school moved into a new building, but along with its new state-of-the-art theater with its bright orange seats and the big LED screens in the gym came the school's 110-year-old bell.
    Jonaki Mehta, NPR, 7 Sep. 2026
  • People would spend hours comparing screens, sizes, picture quality, and whatnot.
    Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 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 14 Sep. 2026.

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