flying

American  

[flahy-ing] / ˈflaɪ ɪŋ /

adjective

1. making flight or passing through the air; that flies.

   a flying insect; an unidentified flying object.

2. floating, fluttering, waving, hanging, or moving freely in the air.

   flying banners; flying hair.

3. extending through the air.

4. moving swiftly.

5. made while moving swiftly.

   a flying leap.

6. very hasty or brief; fleeting or transitory.

   a flying visit; a flying remark.

7. designed or organized for swift movement or action.

8. fleeing, running away, or taking flight.

   They pursued the flying enemy.

9. Nautical. (of a sail) having none of its edges fastened to spars or stays.

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noun

1. the act of moving through the air on wings; flight.

adverb

1. Nautical. without being fastened to a yard, stay, or the like.

   a sail set flying.

flying British  

/ ˈflaɪɪŋ /

adjective

1. (prenominal) hurried; fleeting

   a flying visit

2. (prenominal) designed for fast action

3. (prenominal) moving or passing quickly on or as if on wings

   a flying leap

   the flying hours

4. hanging, waving, or floating freely

   flying hair

5. nautical (of a sail) not hauled in tight against the wind

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noun

1. the act of piloting, navigating, or travelling in an aircraft

2. (modifier) relating to, capable of, accustomed to, or adapted for flight

   a flying machine

Other Word Forms

• nonflying adjective
• unflying adjective

Etymology

Origin of flying

before 1000; Middle English (noun); Old English flēogende (adj.). See fly ², -ing ², -ing ¹

Explanation

The act of soaring through the air is flying. You can also use this word to describe anything that's soaring through the air, like a flying squirrel or flying insects. Use flying for anything that flaps or flutters above the ground, from flying fish to flying turkeys. It's also good for describing things that are propelled or blown into the air: "As the baseball hit the window, I ducked to avoid the flying glass." "The wind picked up and I watched the flying leaves dance around my yard." Some things only appear to fly, like a flying buttress, an architectural projection that "flies" from the side of a building.

Example Sentences

Sometimes aircraft are made heavier by the need to carry extra fuel to allow them to deal with changing weather conditions while flying.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

“Our number one priority is the safety of the flying public, and that means ensuring airline schedules reflect what the system can safely handle,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

‘I feel pressured’: My husband has early Alzheimer’s and wants to visit Europe, but I’m terrified of flying.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

Travelers face sky-high costs for a summer getaway, especially if they are flying to their destinations.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Out of colored paper, cranes come flying into our house.

From "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes" by Eleanor Coerr

Related Words

• aerial
• floating
• soaring