flee
verb
ˈflē 
fled ˈfled ; fleeing
; fleeing intransitive verb
1
a
: to run away often from danger or evil : fly
The family fled from the war-torn zone.
b
: to hurry toward a place of security
Refugees fled to a neighboring country.
2
: to pass away swiftly : vanish
mists fleeing before the rising sun
transitive verb
: to run away from : shun
Many people fled the city to escape the fighting.
Synonyms
- dematerialize
- disappear
- dissolve
- evanesce
- evaporate
- fade
- fly
- melt
- sink
- vanish
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The family fled from Nazi Germany to Britain in 1936. He was accused of trying to flee the scene of the accident. Many people fled the city to escape the fighting. He was forced to flee the country.
Recent Examples on the Web They both were struck, and the man, who was behind the wheel, attempted to flee the scene, but the vehicle careened into a mailbox, WXIA-TV reported. 
Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 13 Sep. 2022 The cannabis workers, all Chinese nationals who had traveled from New York, attempted to flee as law enforcement officials executed a search warrant on the secluded farm. Mitch Koss, NBC News, 8 Sep. 2022 On Saturday, police located the GMC Terrain and arrested Abston, who attempted to flee, nearby. Andrea Marks, Rolling Stone, 6 Sep. 2022 The driver of the vehicle that struck Sain, Preston Lamar Nelson, 38, of Huntsville, attempted to flee the parking lot but a bystander stopped the vehicle, which then stalled. William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, 29 Aug. 2022 Officials say Joseph Nolan attempted to flee but was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol agents outside Coolidge while U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested Richard Miller at the Nogales port. Perry Vandell, The Arizona Republic, 27 Aug. 2022 At that point, the officer tied to pull over the Sportage, which attempted to flee the scene. John Benson, cleveland, 24 Aug. 2022 Video of the scuffle showed that Brooks grabbed Brosnan’s Taser and attempted to flee. Emmanuel Felton, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Aug. 2022 Video of the scuffle showed that Brooks grabbed Brosnan’s Taser and attempted to flee. Emmanuel Felton, Washington Post, 23 Aug. 2022 See More
Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 13 Sep. 2022 The cannabis workers, all Chinese nationals who had traveled from New York, attempted to flee as law enforcement officials executed a search warrant on the secluded farm. Mitch Koss, NBC News, 8 Sep. 2022 On Saturday, police located the GMC Terrain and arrested Abston, who attempted to flee, nearby. Andrea Marks, Rolling Stone, 6 Sep. 2022 The driver of the vehicle that struck Sain, Preston Lamar Nelson, 38, of Huntsville, attempted to flee the parking lot but a bystander stopped the vehicle, which then stalled. William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, 29 Aug. 2022 Officials say Joseph Nolan attempted to flee but was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol agents outside Coolidge while U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested Richard Miller at the Nogales port. Perry Vandell, The Arizona Republic, 27 Aug. 2022 At that point, the officer tied to pull over the Sportage, which attempted to flee the scene. John Benson, cleveland, 24 Aug. 2022 Video of the scuffle showed that Brooks grabbed Brosnan’s Taser and attempted to flee. Emmanuel Felton, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Aug. 2022 Video of the scuffle showed that Brooks grabbed Brosnan’s Taser and attempted to flee. Emmanuel Felton, Washington Post, 23 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English flen, from Old English flēon; akin to Old High German fliohan to flee
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a
Phrases Containing flee
Kids Definition
flee
verb
ˈflē
fled
ˈfled
; fleeing : to run away or away from
Animals fled the fire.
fled
verb
1
as in disappeared
to cease to be visible the fog fled with the arrival of the dawn Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- disappeared
- vanished
- faded
- flew
- melted
- evaporated
- dissipated
- dissolved
- sank
- sunk
- dispersed
- dematerialized
- evanesced
- dropped out of sight
- blurred
- cleared
- dried up
- dimmed
- died (away or down or out)
- blanked (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- appeared
- arrived
- emerged
- materialized
- issued
- broke out
- loomed
- came out
- showed up
2
as in escaped
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation a murderer who fled on foot Synonyms & Similar Words
- escaped
- flew
- left
- absconded
- moved
- exited
- avoided
- got out
- went
- lost
- departed
- cleared out
- evaded
- lammed
- broke free
- ran off
- ran away
- shunned
- eluded
- decamped
- rescued
- eloped
- quitted
- broke out (of)
- liberated
- quit
- extricated
- sprang
- walked out
- pulled out
- freed
- sprung
- released
- emancipated
- loosed
- disentangled
- loosened
- took off
- enfranchised
- unfettered
- brought off
- redeemed
- unchained
- uncaged
- manumitted
- unbound
- shoved (off)
- sallied (forth)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- remained
- stayed
- lingered
- dwelt
- returned
- dwelled
- tarried
- hung around
- abided
- came back
- abode
- stuck around
3
as in retreated
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening a toddler who fled when the ladybug he had been quietly watching suddenly began flying around the room Synonyms & Similar Words
- retreated
- flew
- escaped
- bolted
- ran
- run
- broke
- skedaddled
- absconded
- turned tail
- ran off
- ran away
- decamped
- beat a retreat
- beat it
- bugged out
- made tracks
- eloped
- scarpered
- hightailed (it)
- lammed
- scrammed
- got out
- lit
- made off
- cleared out
- scatted
- mizzled
- skirred
- got (away)
- lighted out
- skipped (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- confronted
- faced
- dared
- remained
- braved
- defied
- stayed
- lingered
- dwelt
- bearded
- dwelled
- tarried
- hung around
- abided
- abode
- stuck around