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
Delta Air Lines flies direct between Atlanta and Johannesburg and is expected to launch service between Atlanta and Cape Town later this year. Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Aug. 2026 Hig flies old Cessna planes into Denver for supplies and makes occasional deliveries to a local Mennonite community led by Aaron (Benedict Wong). Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Since Falcon Heavy's center core stage is expendable, it is not recovered after separating from the upper-stage that flies in space. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026 This essential oil contains high concentrations of menthol, which produces a powerful scent that flies dislike. Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 21 Aug. 2026 The few times White Sox batters made solid contact — flies to the warning track or infielder liners — his fielders were in position. CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026 As the drone flies, its camera collects images of the terrain below. Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026 Has a strong closing kick and hopes to join Beholder as a female that flies past them all in the Pacific Classic. Danny Brewer, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026 Seemingly overnight, all our brand-new consent education flies out the window. Literary Hub, 17 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flies
Verb
  • The topic of head injuries and their long-lasting impact on players is a constant conversation that hovers over the NFL.
    Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The average temperature in Pittsburgh from December to February typically hovers between the upper 20s to the mid to upper 30s Fahrenheit, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.
    Mariyam Muhammad, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • According to the report, most of the cancer risk - 74% - comes from a single pollutant, benzo[a]pyrene, that escapes through leaks in pipe fittings and storage tanks.
    Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • From beachfront retreats in Miami to remote escapes off the coast of Newfoundland, these are the best of the best hotels across the US and Canada.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 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
  • At the end of the 2001 film, Rodriguez’s Letty flees the country.
    Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Holden eagerly rebels against Pencey Prep, gets the boot, and flees to New York City, a place with its own vices and hazards, but without the sort of propaganda and pretense that obscure the school’s dark underside.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • When his detective twin brother, James, disappears, Ludwig impersonates him to help his sister-in-law, Lucy (Anna Maxwell Martin), solve the mystery.
    The Week UK, TheWeek, 27 Aug. 2026
  • When a lake abruptly disappears, that’s a strong indicator that the ice-rich permafrost has thawed.
    Anna Liljedahl, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Senior quarterback Brady Cloherty threw a whopping seven TD passes after the Caravan (1-1) faced a 30-point hole in the second quarter.
    Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The London musician’s forlorn and otherworldly new industrial track passes a sleepless night.
    Marshall Gu, Pitchfork, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The stocks that Goldman screens for are those in the center of a Venn diagram, appearing in both its proprietary Hedge Fund VIP and Mutual Fund Overweight baskets.
    Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
  • With its 15 screens, the Kips Bay location has been beloved by locals for its wider range of films and its towering Imax screen.
    Jordan Moreau, Variety, 24 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 31 Aug. 2026.

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