1
as in hovers
to move through the air with or as if with outstretched wings
the Wright brothers realized mankind's age-old wish to fly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in escapes
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
you must fly to safety immediately
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in scurries
to proceed or move quickly
flew down the concourse to catch his flight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in flees
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
no one in the movies ever thinks to fly from the ax murderer and immediately call the police
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in disappears
to cease to be visible
the morning mist had flown, and a sparkling sea lay before us
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in passes
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval
the familiar "Because I said so!" is a reason that won't fly with most teenagers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of flies
Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 8 Feb. 2026
Five cookline flies and two dishwasher area flies were landing on kitchen walls and shelves.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
And finally… Certain assists literally comprise a benign touch before a goal flies in.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
One area that flies under the AI radar of most consumers is the processing of audio content.
—Karl Freund, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
No one confuses kilowatt-hours with productivity, yet no serious economy flies blind without tracking them.
—Noosheen Hashemi, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
But while the finance jargon flies way, way over my head, the depth of the characters is what makes the show special.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026
WestJet has between one and two flights daily and flies to Calgary year-round and to Vancouver during the summer season.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Jan. 2026
As a travel writer who flies once a month, my trusty hack for looking fashionable without any fuss on busy travel days is a pair of comfy pants.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 15 Jan. 2026
Verb
When a mosquito comes and bites him, the bug immediately tastes the spice in his blood and flies away only to combust moments later.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 8 Feb. 2026
Five cookline flies and two dishwasher area flies were landing on kitchen walls and shelves.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
And finally… Certain assists literally comprise a benign touch before a goal flies in.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
One area that flies under the AI radar of most consumers is the processing of audio content.
—Karl Freund, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
No one confuses kilowatt-hours with productivity, yet no serious economy flies blind without tracking them.
—Noosheen Hashemi, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
But while the finance jargon flies way, way over my head, the depth of the characters is what makes the show special.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026
WestJet has between one and two flights daily and flies to Calgary year-round and to Vancouver during the summer season.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Jan. 2026
As a travel writer who flies once a month, my trusty hack for looking fashionable without any fuss on busy travel days is a pair of comfy pants.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flies
Verb
-
From outside the box, that probability hovers at around five per cent, not too dissimilar from the likelihood implied by the xG of a shot from that range.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The Lilith Society becomes an escape, particularly as the legacy of McCarthyism hovers over the city.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
When cooked straight from frozen, that fractured surface dries quickly as moisture turns to steam and escapes before the interior fully softens.—
Anne Wolf,
Martha Stewart,
8 Feb. 2026
-
In Austin, February is practically a monthlong ode to friendship, from brunches where the mimosas are mandatory to rooftop escapes, DIY adventures and dessert experiments that make staying in feel just as celebratory.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Bridgerton fans can spot the Old Royal Naval College mostly throughout season 2, like when a paperboy scurries across the grounds to deliver the latest gossip from Lady Whistledown in the first episode.—
Kayla Keegan,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The hand then detaches from the arm and scurries forward towards a bannana, flips it upward and secures it on its backside using a single finger.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The president flees these tradeoffs as a matter of course and flip-flops unpredictably when pressures rise.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Benedict’s offer is met with deafening silence, before Sophie flees his embrace in distress.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The plant goes dormant and foliage disappears by late spring to summer.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Once everyone figures it out, the advantage disappears.—
Matt Shumer,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Weather Service also said in its daily forecast discussion that a change in the current dry, mild weather pattern is coming toward the end of next week as a weak system passes mainly through Oregon and Washington.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
-
After the deadline passes, no new candidates may enter the race or withdraw their declarations.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Users could input codes to quickly search the data, call up content on twin slanted screens, and manipulate documents with levers.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Times Square's digital screens have nothing on the glaring warning signs for Republicans ahead of these upcoming midterm elections.—
Domenico Montanaro,
NPR,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In the last few seconds, the black holes whirl around each other at near the speed of light, emitting ever more powerful gravitational waves until the two actually merge, combining in one gluttonous gulp that leaves behind a single, more massive black hole.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
13 Feb. 2026
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Modern systems, including those from ADT, offer smart features that detect when your mobile device leaves a preset boundary (geofence) around your home.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flies. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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