flee

[flee]

verb (used without object)

fled, fleeing 

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

2. to move swiftly; fly; speed.

verb (used with object)

fled, fleeing 

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

   Synonyms: elude, shun, avoid, escape, evade

flee

¹

/ 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

flee

²

/ fliː /

verb

1. a Scot word for fly 1

noun

1. a Scot word for fly 2

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of flee¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of flee¹

Old English flēon ; related to Old Frisian fliā , Old High German fliohan , Gothic thliuhan

Example Sentences

He said after he had run off he returned to the car, believing Mr Ali would have also fled, and Mr Shabir drove back to Keighley where he gave him a "couple of quid".

Read more on BBC

“There are times when it is easier to flee,” Leo told Lebanese officials and diplomats in Beirut on Sunday.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Tens of thousands fled; businesses and schools closed.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Some drivers — many of whom claim to have fled persecution in India and requested asylum in the U.S. — are sitting on expensive investments they cannot use.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He testified that he had fled his native Cuba in 2024 after protesting against the government, for which he was jailed, surveilled and persecuted.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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

When To Use

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.