fugitive

American  

[fyoo-ji-tiv] / ˈfyu dʒɪ tɪv /

noun

1. a person who is fleeing, as from prosecution, intolerable circumstances, etc.; a runaway.

   a fugitive from justice;

   a fugitive from a dictatorial regime.

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adjective

1. having taken flight, or run away.

   The Fugitive Slave Act was part of the Compromise of 1850 that led the United States even closer to civil war.

2. fleeting; transitory; elusive.

   fugitive thoughts that could not be formulated.

   Synonyms:

   temporary, brief, flying, passing, transient

   Antonyms:

   permanent

3. Fine Arts. changing color as a result of exposure to light and chemical substances present in the atmosphere, in other pigments, or in the medium.

4. dealing with subjects of passing interest, as writings; ephemeral.

   fugitive essays.

   Synonyms:

   light, trivial, evanescent, momentary

   Antonyms:

   lasting

5. wandering, roving, or vagabond.

   a fugitive carnival.

fugitive British  

/ ˈfjuːdʒɪtɪv /

noun

1. a person who flees

2. a thing that is elusive or fleeting

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adjective

1. fleeing, esp from arrest or pursuit

2. not permanent; fleeting; transient

3. moving or roving about

Other Word Forms

• fugitively adverb
• fugitiveness noun
• fugitivity noun
• nonfugitive adjective
• nonfugitively adverb
• nonfugitiveness noun
• unfugitive adjective
• unfugitively adverb

Etymology

Origin of fugitive

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin fugitīvus “fleeing,” equivalent to fugit(us) (past participle of fugere “to flee”) + -īvus adjective suffix ( -ive ); replacing Middle English fugitif, from Old French

Example Sentences

The DOJ said in a statement on Thursday that it had arrested US-citizen Yih-Shyan "Wally" Liaw and Taiwanese citizen Ting-Wei "Willy" Sun, while Ruei-Tsang "Steven" Chang, a Taiwanese citizen, remains a fugitive.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Senior Vice President Yih-Shyan “Wally” Liaw and contractor Ting-Wei “Willy” Sun were arrested; sales manager Ruei-Tsang “Steven” Chang is a fugitive.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

He launched an ambitious programme to seek justice against the ousted regime, and Hasina -- now a convicted fugitive in hiding in India -- was sentenced in absentia to death for crimes against humanity.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

The U.S., considering him a fugitive, was seeking his extradition from Spain, and he was likely looking at prison.

From Salon • Jan. 23, 2026

And supposing it was a fugitive, what then?

From "Lyddie" by Katherine Paterson

Related Words

• deserter
• escapee
• exile
• outcast
• outlaw
• refugee