the largest organized unit of naval ships grouped for tactical or other purposes.
the largest organization of warships under the command of a single officer.
a number of naval vessels or vessels carrying armed crew members.
a large group of ships, airplanes, trucks, etc., operated by a single company or under the same ownership.
He owns a fleet of cabs.
a large group of airplanes, automobiles, etc., moving or operating together.
an arm of the sea; inlet.
a creek; stream; watercourse.
the Fleet, a former prison in London, long used for debtors.
rapid in movement; swift
poetic fleeting; transient
(intr) to move rapidly
archaic (intr) to fade away smoothly; glide
(tr) nautical
to change the position of (a hawser)
to pass (a messenger or lead) to a hawser from a winch for hauling in
to spread apart (the blocks of a tackle)
obsolete (intr) to float or swim
obsolete (tr) to cause (time) to pass rapidly
a number of warships organized as a tactical unit
all the warships of a nation
a number of aircraft, ships, buses, etc, operating together or under the same ownership
a stream that formerly ran into the Thames between Ludgate Hill and Fleet Street and is now a covered sewer
Also called: Fleet Prison. (formerly) a London prison, esp used for holding debtors
First recorded before 1000; Middle English flete, fleot(e), Old English flēot “bay, estuary; boat,” derivative of flēotan float ( def. ); cf. fleet 2
First recorded in 1520–30; probably from or akin to Old Norse fljótr “quick, speedy”
First recorded before 900; Middle English flete, Old English flēot “flowing water”; cognate with German Fliess “brook”; fleet 3 def. 3 is so called after the Fleet a stream, later covered and used as a sewer, near which the prison was located; fleet 1 ( def. )
A fleet is usually a large group of ships, but it can be any group of vessels like planes or cars that operate as a unit. A naval fleet is the largest formation of warships. A naval fleet at sea is like an army on land. One meaning of fleet comes from the Old English fleot, meaning “ship,” “raft,” or “floating vessel.” Although a fleet is usually a group of ships or airplanes operating under the same ownership, any group of vessels sailing together can be called a fleet, even you and your friends in a fleet of kayaks. Another meaning of fleet originates in the Old English flēotan, which means “moving swiftly.” When it’s used in that way, it’s usually in the -ing form, fleeting.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A specially modified Airbus A350 plane touched down in France Tuesday after a record 24-hour test flight from Australia, ahead of it joining Qantas's fleet next year.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
Waymo leads the way with more than 300 robotaxis in Austin, nearly half its Texas fleet.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
An EMR spokesperson said any suggestion that the Hitachi Rail Class 810 fleet did not meet the required safety standards was "incorrect", and added it continued "to engage in discussions with RMT regarding this dispute".
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
A range of established defense companies and startups are rushing out new boats with ever-greater ranges and explosive power as the Pentagon looks to boost its fleet of drone boats.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
An enormous French fleet was attempting to invade England by sailing up the Solent Strait and overpowering the British fleet and the naval facilities at Portsmouth.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
Fleet sales were also strong, supported by robust demand from commercial and government customers.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
The military also said a key naval base of the Russian Baltic Fleet in Kronstadt was hit.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
Iran damaged part of the headquarters for the Navy's Fifth Fleet, which covers the Middle East.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
This year, Simpson was named Fleet Feet’s chief running officer and joined FloTrack’s broadcast team for Diamond League recaps.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
Now he had a choice to make: should he risk the straits, or take the Iron Fleet around the island?
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
The Rams defense will try to neutralize the 44-year-old Brady, who is not as mobile as younger, fleeter quarterbacks but remains a master at moving in the pocket.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 22, 2022
Frankly, “The Lost Leonardo” is fleeter, more internally consistent, more absorbing.
From New York Times ● Sep. 16, 2021
Something kind of similar is happening in the fleeter, more escapist Arrow and The Flash, two ongoing series on the CW based on DC Comics characters.
From Slate ● Mar. 9, 2015
Tendulkar, still fleeter of foot than some of his peers, was the man in fruitless pursuit.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 21, 2011
In this way I got closer to the marvellous lines of the actor's face, and was enabled to read and record the subtler, fleeter shadows of his expression.
From A Son of the Middle Border by Garland, Hamlin
He is just about the fastest marathoner alive, and so much faster than everyone else in the race, even if this marathon does not necessarily favor the fleetest in the field.
From New York Times ● Nov. 5, 2021
Utah also plays at the sixth-slowest pace in the league, in part because Gobert is a dominant half-court defender who isn’t the fleetest of foot end to end.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 13, 2020
The stagecraft by which customers who just a minute ago were getting the closest of shaves are removed isn’t the fleetest.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 29, 2019
"I'm not the fleetest of foot but I was just fast enough to get there."
From Reuters ● Oct. 16, 2015
Father Time flew in his fleetest fashion, but no one of the group paid the slightest attention to the fact.
From Marjorie Dean, High School Junior by Lester, Pauline
For Boeing chief executive Kelly Ortberg, a new aircraft is not the priority for airlines, insisting that they are looking for better performance from existing fleets and, crucially, more reliable and durable engines.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
McMahon also cites a study that found a 20% crash reduction in commercial fleets using telematics.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
It's called hybridisation – combining traditional crew-operated weapons platforms like frigates, with fleets of uncrewed and autonomous systems.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
If the best fleets can generate their own demand in dense markets, Uber’s aggregation value shrinks to secondary cities and overflow capacity.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 24, 2026
The commands of the monarchs and merchants who organized colonizing fleets were conveyed in writing.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Another day of hiding and a night of journey had fleeted by.
From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Years, years fleeted over— I stood at her foot: The bud had grown blossom, The blossom was fruit.
From The Golden Treasury Selected from the Best Songs and Lyrical Poems in the English Language and arranged with Notes by Various
Alas! alas! my new-sprung joy fast fleeted away, almost as suddenly as it had arisen!
From The Boy Tar by Read, Edward
And now, as they drove Southward, day and night, Through storm and calm, the shores that fleeted by Grew wilder, grander, with his growing soul, And pregnant with the approaching mystery.
From Collected Poems Volume One by Noyes, Alfred
Still the hounds fleeted on, and I never took my eye off them, but urged my horse in their wake, taking every turn they did, and swerving from nothing.
From Kate Coventry An Autobiography by Whyte-Melville, G. J.
But the hypercompetitive nature of China’s retail environment means success can be fleeting as more brands crowd into the market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Nawaz said the US-Pakistan relationship would need such headwinds addressed to move past reliance on the possibly fleeting bonhomie of its leaders.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
“It’s a fleeting thrill,” said Gordon at Schwab about chips stocks.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 16, 2026
“Night Nurse” is as flirty and fleeting as a high school crush — intense enough to make an impact but staked more on possibility than actual sensation.
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
Even Boromir bowed his head as the boats whirled by, frail and fleeting as little leaves, under the enduring shadow of the sentinels of Númenor.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
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.
