flee
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
verb
-
to run away from (a place, danger, etc); fly
to flee the country
-
(intr) to run or move quickly; rush; speed
she fled to the door
verb
noun
Usage
What does flee mean? To flee is to run away or escape from a dangerous or otherwise negative situation. Much less commonly, flee can be used to mean to move at a fast pace. The past tense of flee is fled. Example: He was forced to flee his home as a result of the impending battle.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
fleesimple
-
fleessimple
-
have fledperfect
-
has fledperfect
-
am fleeingprogressive
-
are fleeingprogressive
-
is fleeingprogressive
-
have been fleeingperfect progressive
-
has been fleeingperfect progressive
Past
-
fledsimple
-
had fledperfect
-
was fleeingprogressive
-
were fleeingprogressive
-
had been fleeingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of flee
First recorded before 900; Middle English fleen, Old English flēon; cognate with Old High German flichan ( German fliehen ), Gothic thliuhan; compare Old English fleogan “to fly”; see also fly 2
Explanation
If you bolt, scram, skedaddle, or get the heck of out Dodge, you flee. You run away fast. Don’t confuse flee with "flea." They sound alike, but the second kind is an insect whose bites make you itch. We get the word flee from Old English fleon. When you flee, you get away as quickly as you can. You might even take flight to escape — usually from a dangerous place or situation. In a moment of panic after stealing a cookie from the cookie jar, you might decide to flee the scene of the crime.
Vocabulary lists containing flee
"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act IV
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Passover Vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hillsborough County Judge Christopher C. Sabella said during Monday’s hearing that Arnold already has a “paparazzi monitor” that would prevent any potential attempts to flee.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2026
Thai police said they arrested Simon Peter Carman at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport in connection with the death as he was allegedly "preparing to flee the country".
From BBC • Jun. 28, 2026
The 28 May fire tore through the upper floor of a dormitory containing 135 bunk beds and housing 202 students, forcing them to flee through a single doorway after the emergency exit failed to open.
From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026
Many North Koreans used to flee through China, crossing the border with help from brokers they pay to provide them with safe passage.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 24, 2026
Eventually I do flee to the bathroom just so I can regroup.
From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
