on the fly

Idioms  

1. In a hurry, on the run, as in I picked up some groceries on the fly. The transfer of this expression, which literally means “in midair or in flight,” dates from the mid-1800s.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

on the fly

But in fairness to the state party, which had to create this process on the fly, Platner’s implosion left no good options.

From Slate ● Jul. 16, 2026

The justices do this increasingly on the fly and in the dark.

From Slate ● Jul. 2, 2026

Pinterest showed off a new tool that automatically selects the ad most likely to perform best, while TikTok played matchmaker for brands and creators and debuted tools to generate ads on the fly.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

During the actual filming of the show, they had to rewrite storylines on the fly as unexpected events took place.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2026

“What do we do when…,” Bobby Kennedy said, forming his thoughts on the fly.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin