1
as in disappears
to cease to be visible
the fog fled with the arrival of the dawn
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in escapes
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
a murderer who fled on foot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in retreats
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
a toddler who fled when the ladybug he had been quietly watching suddenly began flying around the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 flees
The stinger on the scene, where Katie flees and Greg mistakenly gets caught peeping on two girls smooching, is good for some giggles.
—
Erin Qualey, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2026
Seemingly a united front, Michaela agrees to stay in London upon Francesca’s request, but secretly flees in the finale.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
Ultimately, Taylor is part of the first 33 minutes or so of the movie, until Perfidia flees to Mexico and away from Lockjaw, who Taylor insists never had the power in that dynamic.
—Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Feb. 2026
But when the masks are supposed to come off at the stroke of midnight, the lady flees, leaving only a glove behind and setting the stage for the Cinderella fairytale Thompson had earlier teased.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
Becca flees her home to escape her evil stepmother but receives support and friendship from several individuals before Evie mysteriously disappears in 1934.
—The Know, Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2026
The president flees these tradeoffs as a matter of course and flip-flops unpredictably when pressures rise.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026
Benedict’s offer is met with deafening silence, before Sophie flees his embrace in distress.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 30 Jan. 2026
What else is going on A Maserati driver kills a man and a dog crossing a Sherman Oaks street, flees the scene and then abandons the car.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Erin Qualey, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2026
Seemingly a united front, Michaela agrees to stay in London upon Francesca’s request, but secretly flees in the finale.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
Ultimately, Taylor is part of the first 33 minutes or so of the movie, until Perfidia flees to Mexico and away from Lockjaw, who Taylor insists never had the power in that dynamic.
—Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Feb. 2026
But when the masks are supposed to come off at the stroke of midnight, the lady flees, leaving only a glove behind and setting the stage for the Cinderella fairytale Thompson had earlier teased.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
Becca flees her home to escape her evil stepmother but receives support and friendship from several individuals before Evie mysteriously disappears in 1934.
—The Know, Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2026
The president flees these tradeoffs as a matter of course and flip-flops unpredictably when pressures rise.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026
Benedict’s offer is met with deafening silence, before Sophie flees his embrace in distress.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 30 Jan. 2026
What else is going on A Maserati driver kills a man and a dog crossing a Sherman Oaks street, flees the scene and then abandons the car.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flees
Verb
-
Under certain conditions, the distinction between them disappears entirely.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The gap between data and action is where AI value disappears.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Her grim discovery ensures Toya will meet the same fate, and in the last episode, as the murderer escapes through the window, Hole discovers the killer’s final victim in the bathroom, tied by her neck to the shower.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
-
At the best Iceland Airbnbs, nature is the number one amenity, but city escapes offer plenty of perks too.—
Erika Owen,
Architectural Digest,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
By Saturday night, geomagnetic activity weakens and retreats north, making aurora visibility in Iowa unlikely or very limited.—
Lucia Cheng,
Des Moines Register,
20 Mar. 2026
-
After a painful breakup, college junior Blake Logan retreats to her family's lake house in Tahoe and meets Wyatt Graham.—
Jessica Moore,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Get it before this deal vanishes.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The unwanted genetic material vanishes without a trace, which is what kept tripping scientists up for decades.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Banish flies from your home this spring with this easy-to-use insect trap.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Back at Mill Creek Park, amid a crowd of protesters taking a breather after the march, one demonstrator flies a kite.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Gorman's family said earlier this week that her murder cannot be a case that fades from public attention.—
Lauren Victory,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
As the Labubu frenzy fades, HSBC last month trimmed its revenue growth forecast for Pop Mart this year from around 30% to under 24%, and expects a 11% to 13% cut in 2026-2027 earnings.—
Elaine Yu,
CNBC,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The festival runs from May 4 to May 10.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Using a synesthetic logic all his own, Torres explains why Dwayne (the Rock) Johnson is orange, Catholicism is purple, and navy blue is the nefarious color that secretly runs the world.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
With that in mind, here are a few free agent options who could fit the Yankees if Bellinger bolts.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
14 Jan. 2026
-
The canine then bolts across the field and is immediately chased by one horse, with about five more joining in moments later.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flees.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flees. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
