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

Although many Christian families had fled, Mikhail did not want to abandon his bedridden daughter, leaving her only once the rebels stormed the Palmyra, looking for him. —Youmna Melhem Chamieh, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025

Pedestrians fled to safety inside nightclubs and restaurants. —Eric Tucker, Jim Mustian, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2025

Thousands of Iranian civilians have already fled from Syria, fearing life under Sunni control, while Iran has been forced to rely on Russia to ferry its military forces to safety. —Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 1 Jan. 2025

Nashville Police arrested a man wanted on a first-degree murder indictment after officers deployed spike strips to stop him from fleeing. —Kirsten Fiscus, The Tennessean, 31 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