Synonyms of flies

flies 1 of 2

verb

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

• hovers
• wings
• glides
• floats
• planes
• soars
• sails
• drifts
• flutters
• darts
• aviates
• wafts
• flits
• sweeps
• hangs
• coasts
• catapults
• helicopters
• cruises
• jets
• orbits
• rockets
• stoops
• dives

2

as in escapes

to get free from a dangerous or confining situation

you must fly to safety immediately

Synonyms & Similar Words

• escapes
• flees
• leaves
• absconds
• runs away
• runs off
• moves
• gets out
• breaks free
• lams
• goes
• breaks out (of)
• clears out
• avoids
• evades
• loses
• exits
• departs
• shuns
• eludes
• walks out
• pulls out
• quits
• elopes
• rescues
• takes off
• shoves (off)
• extricates
• liberates
• springs
• disentangles
• sallies (forth)
• frees
• releases
• looses
• decamps
• loosens
• emancipates
• redeems
• brings off
• unbinds
• manumits
• unfetters
• uncages
• unchains
• enfranchises

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• remains
• stays
• lingers
• dwells
• abides
• hangs around
• returns
• sticks around
• tarries
• comes back

3

as in scurries

to proceed or move quickly

flew down the concourse to catch his flight

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scurries
• travels
• speeds
• rushes
• races
• hurries
• trots
• drives
• chases
• jumps
• zips
• buzzes
• blows
• runs
• scoots
• darts
• scuttles
• tears
• rips
• zooms
• blasts
• shoots
• whirls
• dashes
• bowls
• hurls
• jets
• rams
• barrels
• steps
• motors
• hustles
• jogs
• breezes
• blazes
• hurtles
• rustles
• rockets
• bolts
• whisks
• hies
• hares
• hastens
• bombs
• cracks (on)
• bustles
• beats it
• bundles
• belts
• courses
• humps
• pelts
• nips
• careens
• gallops
• careers
• steps on it
• flits
• makes tracks
• cannonballs
• beetles
• shakes a leg
• hotfoots (it)
• highballs
• scampers
• scuds
• gets a move on
• whizzes
• accelerates
• sprints
• streaks
• outruns
• overtakes
• stampedes
• quickens
• arrows
• outstrips
• outpaces
• steps out
• scuffles
• catches up
• beelines
• fast-forwards

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• crawls
• drags
• creeps
• pokes
• lingers
• lags
• hangs (around or out)
• pokes
• loiters
• dawdles
• tarries
• saunters
• shuffles
• strolls
• dallies
• ambles
• plods
• slows (down or up)
• lumbers
• decelerates
• dillydallies

4

as in flees

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

• flees
• retreats
• runs
• bolts
• escapes
• breaks
• runs away
• runs off
• beats it
• beats a retreat
• turns tail
• skedaddles
• hightails (it)
• makes tracks
• bugs out
• absconds
• gets (away)
• skips (out)
• gets out
• elopes
• lams
• makes off
• decamps
• clears out
• lights out
• scarpers
• scats
• scrams
• skirrs
• mizzles

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• confronts
• faces
• dares
• defies
• remains
• stays
• lingers
• dwells
• braves
• hangs around
• abides
• beards
• sticks around
• tarries

5

as in disappears

to cease to be visible

the morning mist had flown, and a sparkling sea lay before us

Synonyms & Similar Words

• disappears
• vanishes
• fades
• melts
• flees
• evaporates
• dissolves
• sinks
• dissipates
• drops out of sight
• dematerializes
• blurs
• evanesces
• disperses
• dies (away or down or out)
• clears
• dries up
• dims
• blanks (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• appears
• emerges
• arrives
• comes out
• looms
• issues
• materializes
• shows up
• breaks out

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

• passes
• works
• washes
• stands up
• plays
• holds water
• takes
• holds up
• passes muster
• goes down
• goes over
• goes through
• gets through

flies

2 of 2

noun

plural of fly

as in screens

Related Words

• screens
• shields
• shelters
• canvases
• shades
• umbrellas
• domes
• roofs
• bowers
• tents
• sunshades
• arbors
• ceilings
• canopies
• pavilions
• awnings
• covers
• pergolas
• marquees

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of flies

Verb

American officials are working to expand the use of sterile male screwworm flies to stop the parasites’ spread. —Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 6 June 2026

Time flies, but super exciting. —Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 2 June 2026

Once removed from the tight spot, the owl flies away into the night. —Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026

Walt Disney Imagineering tackled the difficult task of creating a patriotic tapestry of iconic American sights in the new Soarin’ Across America attraction that flies over 10 states and the nation’s capital in just under five minutes. —Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 1 June 2026

An Israeli flag flies over the medieval Beaufort Castle, known locally as Qalaat al-Shaqif or Shaqif Arnoun. —Reuters, NBC news, 1 June 2026

The Air Force's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance squadron flies 10 Super Hercules aircraft out of Biloxi, Mississippi. —Scott Withers, CBS News, 31 May 2026

State Flag flies over Oklahoma State Capitol, Oklahoma City OK. —Cheryl Winokur Munk, CNBC, 31 May 2026

Spend time walking around, snapping photos, or visiting the small interactive museum, ZOOOM, where a short 3D film flies viewers over the mountain range; admission is included in the ticket price. —Lauren David, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2026

Phrases Containing flies

• as the crow flies