as in darting
to make an irregular series of quick, sudden movements
bargain hunters at the flea market flitted from table to table like hummingbirds in a garden
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Recent Examples of flitting
Spring's warmth is settling in across southern Michigan, and hummingbirds will soon be flitting about the state.
—
Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Jacir wants to show a cross section of people’s responses to these events, but the result often feels like scattershot scenes from a longer miniseries, flitting from one character to another with little narrative thrust or cohesion.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
Fittingly, Daniel Pemberton’s score has that same sense of free-ranging curiosity, flitting between genres at will.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Even as the Hudson Theatre is still filling up, the star of the Harry Potter movie franchise, and much theater subsequent to that, is already flitting from row to row, exuding equal parts friendliness and determination of purpose.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 13 Mar. 2026
But few teams bring a nastier one-two wallop than the Lakers, who kept the forward busy flitting back and forth between Dončić and LeBron James.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
For families Families were flitting around the lobby, pool terrace, and elevators throughout my stay, so rest assured that this is a great spot to bring the kids—not to mention that the attached shopping mall and exceptionally safe surrounding neighborhood are reassuring for any parent.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Mar. 2026
Hammond is flitting around the festival wearing a button-up shirt embroidered with the word SWEAT.
—Madeline Leung Coleman, Curbed, 25 Feb. 2026
Watch for Carolina chickadees flitting through trees.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2026
Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Jacir wants to show a cross section of people’s responses to these events, but the result often feels like scattershot scenes from a longer miniseries, flitting from one character to another with little narrative thrust or cohesion.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
Fittingly, Daniel Pemberton’s score has that same sense of free-ranging curiosity, flitting between genres at will.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Even as the Hudson Theatre is still filling up, the star of the Harry Potter movie franchise, and much theater subsequent to that, is already flitting from row to row, exuding equal parts friendliness and determination of purpose.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 13 Mar. 2026
But few teams bring a nastier one-two wallop than the Lakers, who kept the forward busy flitting back and forth between Dončić and LeBron James.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
For families Families were flitting around the lobby, pool terrace, and elevators throughout my stay, so rest assured that this is a great spot to bring the kids—not to mention that the attached shopping mall and exceptionally safe surrounding neighborhood are reassuring for any parent.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Mar. 2026
Hammond is flitting around the festival wearing a button-up shirt embroidered with the word SWEAT.
—Madeline Leung Coleman, Curbed, 25 Feb. 2026
Watch for Carolina chickadees flitting through trees.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flitting
Verb
-
There was the usual assemblage of male and female Anna’s and just a couple of the Allen’s darting out occasionally from the sanctuary of the nearby tree to drink nectar from the hanging feeders.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
This time, my eyes slid to the fresh silver polish on her fingernails, her cascading perm thick but without any undergrowth, and those eyes darting from me to the cop, glistening as if on the verge of pouring.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
October marks the start of butterfly season, with vibrant swarms fluttering well into the green season.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The sudden movement sends the birds fluttering away from you, to watch and wait.—
Addie Citchens,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
From there, a user named Vega turned it into a TikTok dance video that exploded — people duplicating themselves on screen, one version performing, the other dancing behind them.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
-
One scene shows the comedian, dressed in a white suit, dancing on a stage in front of a crowd as sparklers go off.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flitting. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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