1
as in disappears
to cease to be visible
the fog fled with the arrival of the dawn
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in escapes
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
a murderer who fled on foot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in retreats
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flees
Continue reading … OCEAN ESCAPE – Sanctioned tanker flees US forces, now under Russian naval escort off Irish coast.
—
FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Shane Stant clubs Kerrigan on the knee and flees the scene.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
At the opening, Natalie, bored and filled with loathing for her parents, flees her family home by retreating into imaginary worlds of vivid, eroticized violence.
—Erin Somers, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
As with most pursuits, the suspect flees for more than just the traffic charge and other, more serious offenses are in play.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 2 Jan. 2026
Just as the pair leans in for a kiss in the new footage, the clock strikes midnight and the masked woman flees, leaving our dear Benny boy with only a lone glove as a clue to her identity.
—Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Dec. 2025
When the clock strikes midnight, Sophie flees, removing her gown and disappearing.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 25 Dec. 2025
She is placed in witness protection, but eventually flees to Mexico.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 20 Dec. 2025
Nina and Millie agree to frame the murder as an accident that happened while Andrew was trying to change a lightbulb in the chandelier above the staircase and Millie flees the scene.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 19 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flees
Verb
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If the money's not coming in, the money disappears.—
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Anna disappears after her daughter’s death, essentially ghosting her life—including her job as a news anchor in Atlanta.—
Verb
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Instead, book a few three- to four-day escapes that align with school and office closures.—
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Known for its Gilded Age mansions, deep maritime roots, and rugged Atlantic shoreline, Newport has long been one of New England’s signature coastal escapes.—
Verb
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Brunson retreats and ultimately turns the ball over on a pass to Miles McBride.—
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As Gustav aims to work his way back into their lives, Nora retreats into isolation as her mental health increasingly declines.—
Verb
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Described as a love letter to the ’80s classics that captivated a generation, the series was to be set in 1980 Montauk, Long Island, where a young boy vanishes into thin air.—
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The rain vanishes mid-air, leaving behind only wind that strips away the remaining topsoil.—
Verb
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So instead, to keep costs down and power up, the Starcloud satellite flies what is known as a dawn-dusk sun-synchronous orbit, circling the planet at a near vertical 83° angle that carries it over the poles and keeps it almost constantly exposed to the sun.—
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Across the canyon, flames leapt up the Paseo Miramar trail, still two miles away as the crow flies, but already too close to ignore.—
Verb
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The California Association of Realtors also predicts that, as economic uncertainty fades and rates begin to decline more steadily, the housing market should improve throughout 2026.—
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Humans have been chewing gum for thousands of years, long after the flavor fades and without any clear nutritional benefit.—
Verb
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Sammis runs a pro-style scheme that prioritizes a strong run game and being efficient with the passing attack.—
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His victory awarded him a $1,500 NIL deal from Pangos which runs an All-American basketball camp among its basketball enterprises.—
Verb
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The canine then bolts across the field and is immediately chased by one horse, with about five more joining in moments later.—
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Parsley is a biennial that quickly bolts and dies the second year, and since second-year parsley is bitter, it’s typically grown as an annual.—
Cite this Entry
“Flees.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flees. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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