flee
verb (used without object)
to run away, as from danger or pursuers; take flight.
had been fleeing
-
past perfect progressiveof flee.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Investors had been fleeing BuzzFeed’s stock as the once-popular media outlet found itself in deeper financial straits.
From MarketWatch ● May 11, 2026
Even before software’s steep selloff last month, hedge funds as a group had been fleeing the sector, and were loading up on hard tech stocks, especially those of semiconductor companies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 12, 2026
Rescuer Juniel Tagarino in Samar province's Catbalogan City said the 64-year-old had been fleeing with family members Saturday night when she unexpectedly "went back inside her house" only to be found hours later.
From Barron's ● Nov. 9, 2025
They said they had been fleeing persecution and trying to sail to Canada to claim asylum.
From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2024
All day, Torak had been fleeing north, but he was still only level with the southernmost roots of the High Mountains.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
