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
Meanwhile, a team quietly burning tokens on work that moves nothing flies under the radar. Vinay Kuruvila, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 About 200 of those flights are handled by Mercy Air, a for-profit service that flies patients and bills their insurers for the costs. Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026 An American flag flies near the Ever Memo container ship at the Port of Los Angeles on May 28, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026 The counselors see their impact in real time, in the course of a week that flies by so quickly. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2026 That story mimics the god Hermes, who flies over water in The Odyssey. John Blake, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026 What Happens When a Fly Lands on Food One of the biggest misconceptions is that flies simply walk across food and fly away. Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 1 Aug. 2026 As the drone flies, the rushing wind sweeps through the wing, naturally cooling the receiver’s back. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 July 2026 The original 1990 holiday classic centered on Kevin himself being left home alone after his family flies to Paris and mistakenly leaves him behind. Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flies
Verb
  • Okemo hovers just above Ludlow center, in the winter outlines of trails stand out clear and white.
    Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 2 Aug. 2026
  • As a result, the average restaurant profit margin now hovers between a precarious 3% and 5%, and industry data suggests that up to 42% of restaurants are currently struggling just to stay in the black.
    Robert Messer, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Verb
  • Odysseus blinds the Cyclops and escapes Circe with the help of a magic herb, but not before losing some of his men.
    John Blake, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • This week's quiz spotlights summer escapes and remarkable love stories.
    Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
Verb
  • After desecrating the statue, the vandal returns the hammer to his pocket, scales the fence and flees into the night, the footage shows.
    Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Rhaena flees the four-way dragon scrum on foot only to be dragged back by her uncle.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Follows’ research also shows that an experienced producer can make all the difference for a first-time director, even though that correlation disappears after the first film.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2026
  • This process helps redefine identity and find new avenues for skills and values, proving that professional identity isn't erased when a job title disappears.
    Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • But once the residence passes building inspection, the homeowner could enclose the underneath space, creating a ground-level story.
    Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Both passes deflected off a player, the first off WR Terrace Marshall and the second off WR Tutu Atwell.
    Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • But even when screens help families make it through a busy day, Amin said many parents still feel guilty about relying on them.
    Tara Duncan, AJC.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • On top of that, many schools have kids spending lots of time on screens, even though staring at them for long periods can be stressful and exhausting.
    Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 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 10 Aug. 2026.

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