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
Relevance
2
as in escapes
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
you must fly to safety immediately
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in scurries
to proceed or move quickly
flew down the concourse to catch his flight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in disappears
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 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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flies
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Feb. 2026
This policy flies in the face of the Constitution, legal precedent and Homeland Security's own guidelines.
—Arkansas Online, 16 Feb. 2026
Pundits are piling on, with the groupthink of armchair analysts reflexively comparing American’s stock chart to admittedly impressive peers such as Delta and United, without recognizing their differences as compared to American, which flies the world’s largest number of passengers by far.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 16 Feb. 2026
Now settled in Paris, Lilia (Eya Bouteraa) flies in to her Tunisian hometown of Sousse, accompanied by her girlfriend Alice (Marion Barbeau).
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
With 100mm front travel and 130mm rear travel, the EX Titan literally flies.
—New Atlas, 13 Feb. 2026
When a mosquito comes and bites him, the bug immediately tastes the spice in his blood and flies away only to combust moments later.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 8 Feb. 2026
Five cookline flies and two dishwasher area flies were landing on kitchen walls and shelves.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
And finally… Certain assists literally comprise a benign touch before a goal flies in.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
The drone then flies autonomously to its destination.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Feb. 2026
This policy flies in the face of the Constitution, legal precedent and Homeland Security's own guidelines.
—Arkansas Online, 16 Feb. 2026
Pundits are piling on, with the groupthink of armchair analysts reflexively comparing American’s stock chart to admittedly impressive peers such as Delta and United, without recognizing their differences as compared to American, which flies the world’s largest number of passengers by far.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 16 Feb. 2026
Now settled in Paris, Lilia (Eya Bouteraa) flies in to her Tunisian hometown of Sousse, accompanied by her girlfriend Alice (Marion Barbeau).
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
With 100mm front travel and 130mm rear travel, the EX Titan literally flies.
—New Atlas, 13 Feb. 2026
When a mosquito comes and bites him, the bug immediately tastes the spice in his blood and flies away only to combust moments later.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 8 Feb. 2026
Five cookline flies and two dishwasher area flies were landing on kitchen walls and shelves.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
And finally… Certain assists literally comprise a benign touch before a goal flies in.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flies
Verb
-
From outside the box, that probability hovers at around five per cent, not too dissimilar from the likelihood implied by the xG of a shot from that range.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The Lilith Society becomes an escape, particularly as the legacy of McCarthyism hovers over the city.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Whether retiring adults are eyeing sunny Florida, quaint Midwest towns, or charming East Coast escapes, there are plenty of destinations across the United States that offer a mix of affordable living and top-notch quality of life.—
Opheli Garcia Lawler,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Feb. 2026
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Fly Little Bird follows the story of an American singer struggling with addiction who escapes her family’s West Bank settlement, eventually finding refuge in a Palestinian news agency, implicating those who shelter her.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Bridgerton fans can spot the Old Royal Naval College mostly throughout season 2, like when a paperboy scurries across the grounds to deliver the latest gossip from Lady Whistledown in the first episode.—
Kayla Keegan,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The hand then detaches from the arm and scurries forward towards a bannana, flips it upward and secures it on its backside using a single finger.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The president flees these tradeoffs as a matter of course and flip-flops unpredictably when pressures rise.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Benedict’s offer is met with deafening silence, before Sophie flees his embrace in distress.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The plant goes dormant and foliage disappears by late spring to summer.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Once everyone figures it out, the advantage disappears.—
Matt Shumer,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The concierge team can assist guests in arranging appointments at Cure Spa (five-minute drive away), as well as personal training sessions, daily gym passes, or group workout classes at Advantage Personal Training (an eight-minute drive away).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Until Congress passes legislation and a president signs it into law, the clock changes will continue nationwide.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
These images feel like little worlds pressed up against the surface of each painting, akin to the ubiquitous screens — phones, TVs, computers — that routinely flatten our reality.—
Sharon Mizota,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Producers, agents and executives working in the genre say the recent boom of romance in TV and film is due in great part to studios’ seeing the power of the core audience whom authors help entice to screens.—
Rebecca Keegan,
NBC news,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In the last few seconds, the black holes whirl around each other at near the speed of light, emitting ever more powerful gravitational waves until the two actually merge, combining in one gluttonous gulp that leaves behind a single, more massive black hole.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
13 Feb. 2026
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Modern systems, including those from ADT, offer smart features that detect when your mobile device leaves a preset boundary (geofence) around your home.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flies. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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