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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to travel
to proceed or move quickly
flew down the concourse to catch his flight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fly
Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 21 Mar. 2025
Deportations fly in the face of judicial orders, careening the country toward a constitutional crisis.
—Brian Barrett, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2025
Annie Nova, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2025
Grey Zabel, North Dakota State offensive lineman To be a fly on the wall during the conversation between Zabel and McDaniel at the combine.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fly
Verb
Dehydration can lead to fatigue, headaches, and a host of other issues, especially when flying.
—Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 21 Mar. 2025
Deportations fly in the face of judicial orders, careening the country toward a constitutional crisis.
—Brian Barrett, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
An American flag and a U.S. Department of Education flag fly outside the US Department of Education building in Washington, D.C., U.S., Feb. 1, 2025.
—Annie Nova, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2025
Grey Zabel, North Dakota State offensive lineman To be a fly on the wall during the conversation between Zabel and McDaniel at the combine.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fly
Verb
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Arsenal’s wages had hovered around the £230million mark for years, increasing just £11.5m between 2018 and 2023.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
The Athletic,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Rain is possible next week, but chances are only hovering between 20% and 40% on Monday and Tuesday.—
Abigail Hasebroock,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Duterte withdrew the Philippines in 2019 from the Rome Statute, the court’s founding treaty, in a move human rights activists say was aimed at escaping accountability.—
Jim Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2025
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Without cellphone service, and fearing that his driver might have a weapon, the then 32-year-old Ugandan felt powerless to escape.—
Amy Gunia,
CNN,
10 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Until an hour or so prior, Messi’s presence on the traveling roster was uncertain, with the Argentine not having played in the club’s previous three matches.—
Pablo Maurer,
The Athletic,
13 Mar. 2025
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The difference is, these changes tended to be customizations that still showed off the brand as a point of pride, whereas what drivers across the U.S. have noticed for the better part of a year now are Teslas traveling incognito, under a different corporate banner.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
12 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
On March 1, police descended upon Dallas’ Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, where the championship was holding its second day competitions, as a stampede of cheerleaders, coaches and parents ran fleeing from what many believed to be an active shooter situation.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
15 Mar. 2025
-
Northcott fled to Canada, but was arrested soon after.—
KC Baker,
People.com,
15 Mar. 2025
Verb
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There are still matches when Isak is on the fringes — Bournemouth, Fulham and West Ham in 2025 — and when his hold-up play disappears, leaving Newcastle toothless up top.—
Chris Waugh,
The Athletic,
14 Mar. 2025
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Two years later, without explanation, the vocalist and guitarist had not only disappeared from the collective, but seemingly retired the project of Ghost Mountain altogether.—
Meaghan Garvey,
Pitchfork,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
As exclusively revealed by The Athletic last week, his deal expires at the end of the season and the club option for a one-year extension has already passed.—
Patrick Boyland,
The Athletic,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Utah passed a first-of-its-kind bill last week requiring app stores to verify users’ ages and obtain parental consent before minors could download apps to their devices.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
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That margin was extended to 61 votes after the county canvass, which included a re-tabulation of absentee ballots in Battle Creek.—
Paul Egan,
Detroit Free Press,
12 Dec. 2024
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How North Carolina's electoral votes are awarded In the Tarheel State, after the election is complete, the State Board of Elections performs a canvass and then issues a certificate of election.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA TODAY,
25 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Erect blackberries like 'Navaho' can be planed in traditional rows or grown as a hedge.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
20 Jan. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Fly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fly. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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