flee

verb

fled ˈfled How to pronounce flee (audio) ; fleeing

intransitive verb

1
a
: to run away often from danger or evil : fly
The family fled from the war-torn zone.
b
: to hurry toward a place of security
Refugees fled to a neighboring country.
2
: to pass away swiftly : vanish
mists fleeing before the rising sun

transitive verb

: to run away from : shun
Many people fled the city to escape the fighting.

Examples of flee in a Sentence

The family fled from Nazi Germany to Britain in 1936. He was accused of trying to flee the scene of the accident. Many people fled the city to escape the fighting. He was forced to flee the country.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
That includes Soviet and Vietnamese citizens fleeing turmoil in their home countries. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2025 The spreading violence has forced more than 60,000 Haitians to flee their homes in just a month, according to the United Nations, and attacks have brought all economic activity in downtown Port-au-Prince to a halt as schools, businesses and government offices close their doors. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2025 Recovering from his fall, Niles frantically searched the stream of fleeing students for his little brother, Thomas. Rascal Kemble-Curry, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2025 In Venezuela and Nicaragua, repressive regimes have also prompted a humanitarian crisis that has forced millions to flee. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for flee

Word History

Etymology

Middle English flen, from Old English flēon; akin to Old High German fliohan to flee

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of flee was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flee. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

flee

verb
fled ˈfled How to pronounce flee (audio) ; fleeing
1
a
: to run away often from danger or evil : fly
b
: to run away from : shun
2
: to pass away swiftly : vanish
the mist fled before the rising sun

More from Merriam-Webster on flee

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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