1
as in to hover
to move through the air with or as if with outstretched wings
the Wright brothers realized mankind's age-old wish to fly
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2
as in to escape
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
you must fly to safety immediately
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3
as in to travel
to proceed or move quickly
flew down the concourse to catch his flight
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4
as in to flee
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
no one in the movies ever thinks to fly from the ax murderer and immediately call the police
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5
as in to disappear
to cease to be visible
the morning mist had flown, and a sparkling sea lay before us
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6
as in to pass
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval
the familiar "Because I said so!" is a reason that won't fly with most teenagers
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of fly
Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2024
The missiles flew about 400 km, or 250 miles, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
—Hakyung Kate Lee, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2024
Major Garrett has been fact checking on the fly and in real time.
—CBS News, 27 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fly 
Verb
Vampire bats typically fly near prey and then quickly walk or run on their thumbs and wrists to close in.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2024
The missiles flew about 400 km, or 250 miles, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
—Hakyung Kate Lee, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
Shake well and spray in areas where flies are frequent.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2024
Major Garrett has been fact checking on the fly and in real time.
—CBS News, 27 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fly
Verb
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Catherine falls to the floor; Stephen hovers with a paring knife.Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
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Ether, the native token of the Ethereum blockchain, hovered around $2,900, while Cardano reached $0.44—marking an impressive 10% increase in the past 24 hours.Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Firefighters rescued one person who was trapped and assisted others in escaping the building.Doha Madani, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
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Parents can breathe a sigh of relief at an easy transition away from the pool to escape the sun for a few moments, while also receiving an impressive education on Southern California’s wild birds.Margaux Lushing, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Police said the man was crossing Rose Street and was struck by a vehicle driven by a 79-year-old Berkeley woman woman that was traveling eastbound on Rose Street.Harry Harris, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024
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All trucks that travel California roads must be fully transitioned to clean technology by 2045.Pat Maio, Orange County Register, 16 Nov. 2024
Verb
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In late September, Hamza had reluctantly fled his village, a few miles from the border with Israel.Rania Abouzeid, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024
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Both suspects then fled toward a car driven by a third man.Nour Rahal, Detroit Free Press, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Those subsidies will likely disappear under the Trump administration, which has pledged to dial back Biden’s green investments.Ben Kesslen, Quartz, 12 Nov. 2024
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The noises around me, the people, the cars, the children, everything disappeared with Tina.Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Since your hand is a minimum and an 11-trick club game is far away, pass.Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024
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Sometime later, a passing pipeline company worker pulled the vehicle from the ditch.Ryan J. Foley, Twin Cities, 16 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The recount must be completed five days after the canvass of the vote is completed, which is Nov. 30.Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024
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In Orange County, for example, the registrar of voters was able to complete its canvass of the March primary 17 days after Election Day.Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Orange County Register, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Lionsgate has several festivities planed including special events, anniversary screenings, new experiences, and new collectible merchandise, culminating in the release of Ballerina: From the World of John Wick next year on June 6.Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2024
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But other residents want the initiative to move ahead as planed, asserting that the changes will make the corridor safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Fly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fly. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
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