fugitive 1 of 2

adjective

ˈfyü-jə-tiv How to pronounce fugitive (audio)
Definition of fugitivenext
1
as in elusive
hard to find, capture, or isolate that fugitive trait called artistic creativity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in flash
lasting only for a short time had fugitive thoughts of leaving town after finishing high school but never acted on them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in nomadic
traveling from place to place a small fugitive circus that traveled the countryside

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fugitive

2 of 2

noun

as in alien

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word fugitive different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of fugitive are ephemeral, evanescent, fleeting, momentary, transient, and transitory. While all these words mean "lasting or staying only a short time," fugitive and fleeting imply passing so quickly as to make apprehending difficult.

let a fugitive smile flit across his face
fleeting moments of joy

When is ephemeral a more appropriate choice than fugitive?

The meanings of ephemeral and fugitive largely overlap; however, ephemeral implies striking brevity of life or duration.

many slang words are ephemeral

When is it sensible to use evanescent instead of fugitive?

In some situations, the words evanescent and fugitive are roughly equivalent. However, evanescent suggests a quick vanishing and an airy or fragile quality.

the story has an evanescent touch of whimsy that is lost in translation

When can momentary be used instead of fugitive?

While in some cases nearly identical to fugitive, momentary suggests coming and going quickly and therefore being merely a brief interruption of a more enduring state.

my feelings of guilt were only momentary

Where would transient be a reasonable alternative to fugitive?

The words transient and fugitive are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, transient applies to what is actually short in its duration or stay.

a hotel catering primarily to transient guests

In what contexts can transitory take the place of fugitive?

The words transitory and fugitive can be used in similar contexts, but transitory applies to what is by its nature or essence bound to change, pass, or come to an end.

fame in the movies is transitory

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fugitive
Adjective
The fugitive was taken into custody without further incident at around 2:30 p.m., Meridian police said. —Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 15 July 2025 Mejia-Flores was identified as a fugitive alien with a Final Order of Removal. —Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
Noun
Numerous local, state and federal agencies have continued to comb the wilderness for the fugitive father while experiencing several environmental hurdles, according to Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison. —Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025 That kind of stroke of fortune is often what solves a missing fugitive case. —Andy Rose, CNN Money, 28 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for fugitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fugitive
  1. elusive
  2. flash
  3. nomadic
  4. alien
  5. temporary
  6. refugee
  7. transient
  8. brief
Adjective
  • The bridge between the two — a theory of quantum gravity — has remained elusive.
    — Andrew Montequin, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
  • Formed nearly 100 years ago, the elusive and exclusive Detection Club met regularly as its members dined and helped each other with technical aspects of their writing.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 23 July 2025
Definition of elusive
Adjective
  • Thursday's weekly jobless claims numbers and S&P Global's flash PMI data will be closely assessed to gauge economic health in the wake of tariff uncertainties.
    — Nikhil Sharma, USA Today, 23 July 2025
  • Focus now shifts to Thursday’s weekly jobless claims numbers and S&P Global’s flash PMI data to gauge economic health in the wake of tariff uncertainties.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 23 July 2025
Definition of flash
Adjective
  • The Sarmatians were a group of nomadic people originally from the region of modern-day Iran before migrating to the Ural Mountains, according to Britannica.
    — Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 29 July 2025
  • But the genetic evidence points to zoonoses initially becoming prevalent in Asia and Russia as communities transitioned from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to nomadic livestock herding or farming.
    — Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 July 2025
Definition of nomadic
Noun
  • Then there’s Rocky, a space alien made of rock that Ryland meets and befriends in space.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 27 July 2025
  • Resident Alien follows an alien (Alan Tudyk) who was sent to earth to destroy humanity.
    — Daysia Tolentino, EW.com, 25 July 2025
Definition of alien
Adjective
  • The court's ruling extending its temporary restraining order is disappointing.
    — Dana Afana, Freep.com, 26 July 2025
  • The following year, many non-certified staff were given a temporary $3.50 an hour pay bump using an influx of funding the district received amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
    — Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 25 July 2025
Definition of temporary
Noun
  • In 1999, then-Fort Dix provided temporary shelter to hundreds of Kosovo refugees amid the Kosovo War.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 July 2025
  • On January 26, 2023, Israeli soldiers, hidden in the cargo hold of a dairy truck, rode into the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank, where the Magnum photographer Sakir Khader was preparing to leave for his grandmother’s home in Nablus.
    — M. Z. Adnan, New Yorker, 20 July 2025
Definition of refugee
Adjective
  • Born in northern Iran, near the Caspian Sea, Kamran’s childhood was somewhat transient due to her father’s work for the department of educations, which kept the family moving every four or five years.
    — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 25 July 2025
  • It was surrounded on every side by a moat-like parking lot, every parking space neatly marked by diagonal lines, white for transient parking, yellow for monthly parking, green for the building’s maintenance personnel.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 July 2025
Definition of transient
Adjective
  • Individual games through an 18-week season are so variable that sports books generally don’t offer odds for every single game in a season for more than just a brief moment to create headlines.
    — Chad Graff, New York Times, 23 July 2025
  • On a brief stakeout at two Duck World establishments, CNBC observed shoppers ranging from rambunctious toddlers to middle-aged tourists.
    — Ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 23 July 2025
Definition of brief

Browse Nearby Words

fuggy
fugitive
fugitiveness
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Cite this Entry

“Fugitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fugitive. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fugitive

Nglish: Translation of fugitive for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fugitive

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