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
The researchers found shielding the diseased Pink1 flies from Earth's magnetic field increased their lifespan by around 20%. — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 25 Sep. 2026 When life speeds up, intentional relaxation is usually the first thing that flies out the window. — Cheryl Fenton, Flow Space, 23 Sep. 2026 Henderson's stepfather, Jerry Lowe, flies helicopters for the county sheriff's office. — Arthur Allen, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026 In species ranging from worms and flies to rodents and primates, caloric restriction produces animals that appear biologically younger than their age. — Venki Ramakrishnan, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026 Bent on tracking down the killers, Ethan flies over and heads to the photographic agency that represents Joe’s work. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flies
Verb
  • After lingering over spaghetti alle vongole at Ristorante Lido Azzurro, which hovers over the sea near Amalfi’s harbor, zip around the coast to sea caverns and grottos, pausing for dips in secluded spots away from the crowds.
    — Lane Nieset, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Those sources said that Cultural Counsel’s workforce now hovers around 18.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Out-of-control AI escapes human oversight, commandeers vital infrastructure and kills millions of people or even all of humanity.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Only a failure that escapes every layer should reach a human.
    — Shivansh Inamdar, Forbes.com, 15 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
  • Cora, the granddaughter of a woman kidnapped from West Africa and sold into slavery, flees her captor’s plantation, plunging her into the book’s alternate steampunk reality where she is pursued by the merciless slave catcher Ridgeway.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Sep. 2026
  • As the dust settles, John flees, but Zoe comes with a gun to finish off Hal in the rubble.
    — Joe Otterson, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Sometimes an argument disappears for decades and then returns in a new form.
    — Saurabh Anand, JSTOR Daily, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Spider-Man swings across the skyline, saves the city and disappears before anyone can ask him to explain himself.
    — Nicole DuBois, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The 2025 Africa Organized Crime Index says cocaine from South America passes through the country on its way to other parts of the world.
    — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Matix Frithsmith of Hart runs, catches, passes and does everything.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • From there, everyone proceeded through a TSA security checkpoint and on through the sparkling new terminal, complete with LED-screen departure and arrival LED screens and gate displays.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The sequel stars Kamiki Ryunosuke and Hamabe Minami and marks the first time a Japanese feature has been shot for Imax screens.
    — Zack Sharf, Variety, 26 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 28 Sep. 2026.

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