fugitive

American  

[fyoo-ji-tiv] / ˈfju dʒɪ tɪv /

noun

• fugitives
  plural

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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• fugitives
  plural

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 ( see -ive); replacing Middle English fugitif, from Old French

Explanation

Someone who flees or runs away from the police to avoid capture is a fugitive. "Authorities were looking for three men who escaped from prison today. Authorities believe the three fugitives may be disguised as nuns and advise the public to be careful." Although a fugitive can specifically be someone fleeing from the police, the noun can also refer to anyone who is fleeing from an untenable situation. "The family asked for asylum in the United States because they were fugitives from their own oppressive government." As an adjective, the word can mean "fleeing or fleeting." "Many people helped the fugitive slaves to safety." "At night, he was plagued with fugitive thoughts: they seemed important when he woke from sleep, but by morning he had forgotten them."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fugitive fugitives

The fugitive Aegon experienced what it was like to be a boot-licking commoner.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

Bangladesh's fugitive ex-premier Sheikh Hasina told AFP she was determined to return to her country by December despite fearing for her life.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

Three months in, Samba has already outlasted the former fugitive.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

In 1607, a fugitive painter named Caravaggio arrived in Malta on the run from a murder warrant in Rome.

From Slate ● Jun. 6, 2026

How would the words of a fugitive, desperate, tragic ugly look through pretty eyes?

From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld

Under Texas law limiting the detention of fugitives, Castro may be eligible for release from jail as soon as next week, the lawsuit said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

Fischer had long been listed among Rhode Island’s Most Wanted fugitives, including his photo and the various aliases he was known to use.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

The author’s mother and father went into hiding and had their first child, Mr. Dohrn, in 1977, while they were living as fugitives.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

The Chinese government also announced "Operation Fox Hunt" and "Operation Sky Net" to track down fugitives from the law.

From BBC ● May 7, 2026

It was composed of a loosely organized group of people who offered food and shelter, or a place of concealment, to fugitives who had set out on the long road to the North and freedom.

From "Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad" by Ann Petry

Related Words

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