fled
ˈfled 
; fleeing
; fleeing
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
: 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
Like many people who fled to the United States from authoritarian regimes, Fernandez says the United States appears to be at a tipping point, with Trump centralizing power to silence dissent and punish people he's declared as enemies, while bullying private businesses to fall in line.
—
Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 28 Sep. 2025
The shooter then fled toward the nearby Intracoastal Waterway, heading in the direction of the neighboring community of Oak Island, North Carolina.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2025
Authorities arrived at the scene, on the Kickapoo reservation, but authorities said the shooter was gone, having fled in black pickup truck.
—Mitchell Willetts, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Sep. 2025
The suspect fled the scene and law enforcement officers were able to track the vehicle and take the suspect into custody, the Eagle Pass Police Department confirmed in a statement posted to Facebook.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flee
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Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 28 Sep. 2025
The shooter then fled toward the nearby Intracoastal Waterway, heading in the direction of the neighboring community of Oak Island, North Carolina.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2025
Authorities arrived at the scene, on the Kickapoo reservation, but authorities said the shooter was gone, having fled in black pickup truck.
—Mitchell Willetts, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Sep. 2025
The suspect fled the scene and law enforcement officers were able to track the vehicle and take the suspect into custody, the Eagle Pass Police Department confirmed in a statement posted to Facebook.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flee
Cite this Entry
“Flee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flee. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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