flee

American  

[flee] / fli /

verb (used without object)

fled, fleeing

1. to run away, as from danger or pursuers; take flight.

2. to move swiftly; fly; speed.

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verb (used with object)

fled, fleeing

1. to run away from (a place, person, etc.).

   Synonyms:

   elude, shun, avoid, escape, evade

flee ¹ British  

/ fliː /

verb

1. to run away from (a place, danger, etc); fly

   to flee the country

2. (intr) to run or move quickly; rush; speed

   she fled to the door

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flee ² British  

/ fliː /

verb

1. a Scot word for fly 1

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noun

1. a Scot word for fly 2

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

• fleer noun
• outflee verb (used with object)
• unfleeing adjective

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”; 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.

Example Sentences

Students frantically flee between the desks and down the stairs; the Bridegroom’s parents argue in a vestibule; the Waitress and Markéta, on different levels, recall that last morning as though in a dream.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

I’ve enlisted the help of some of my colleagues who are also parents that understand the need to flee the house before nap time.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

Connecticut’s sluggish recovery from the 2008 housing bust, meanwhile, prompted home builders to flee.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Last week, the pope called for a ceasefire in the Middle East, saying more than a million people had been forced to flee their homes and urging the warring parties to hold talks.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

I pass the park that Mom always used to take us to, where I’ve been taking Mav to play fetch just about every day before and after school, flee through the shadows of the trees.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

• depart
• desert
• fly
• get
• jump
• leave
• retreat
• take off
• vanish