flee

verb

ˈflē 

fled ˈfled  ; 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.

Synonyms

• dematerialize
• disappear
• dissolve
• evanesce
• evaporate
• fade
• fly
• melt
• sink
• vanish

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

Rebel fighters recently seized control of Syria, with Assad reported to have fled to Russia. —Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2024

The incident began after an adult suspect and his 16-year-old son fled a Walmart store in a pickup truck as police arrived at the scene of the reported incident. —Cristóbal Reyes, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Dec. 2024

Just imagine a family in Syria that was forced to flee their home due to recent fighting, and is now facing freezing cold temperatures. —Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024

Key Background Thousands of detainees fled Syrian prisons this week after Bashar al-Assad’s government was overthrown over the weekend. —Ty Roush, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024

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

Phrases Containing flee

• leave/flee the nest

Kids Definition

flee

verb

ˈflē 

fled ˈfled  ; 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