1
a
: to move in or pass through the air with wings
bees flying around the hive
b
: to move through the air or before the wind or through outer space
bullets flying in all directions
c
: to float, wave, or soar in the air
flags flying at half-mast
2
3
a
: to move, pass, or spread quickly
rumors were flying
b
: to be moved with sudden extreme emotion
flew into a rage
c
: to seem to pass quickly
the time simply flew
4
: to become expended or dissipated rapidly
After he became established in the town, his inheritance flew.
5
: to operate or travel in an airplane or spacecraft
They flew to Florida for their vacation.
6
: to work successfully : win popular acceptance
knew … a pure human-rights approach would not fly—
Charles Brydon
Charles Brydon1
a
: to cause to fly, float, or hang in the air
flying a kite
b
: to operate (something, such as a balloon, aircraft, rocket, or spacecraft) in flight
c
: to journey over or through by flying
flew the Atlantic
2
3
: to transport by aircraft or spacecraft
Supplies were flown to the disaster area.
plural flies
1
: the action or process of flying : flight
2
a
: a device consisting of two or more radial vanes capable of rotating on a spindle to act as a fan or to govern the speed of clockwork or very light machinery
b
: flywheel
3
flies plural
: the space over a theater stage where scenery and equipment can be hung
4
: something attached by one edge: such as
a
: a garment closing concealed by a fold of cloth extending over the fastener
b(1)
: the length of an extended flag from its staff or support
(2)
: the outer or loose end of a flag
5
: a baseball hit high into the air
6
: flyleaf
7
: a sheet of material (such as canvas) that is attachable to a tent for use as a double top or as a rooflike extension
8
: a football pass pattern in which the receiver runs straight downfield
plural flies
1
: a winged insect
—usually used in combination
mayflies
butterfly
2
a
: any of a large order (Diptera) of winged or rarely wingless insects (such as the housefly, mosquito, or gnat) that have the anterior wings functional, the posterior wings reduced to halteres, and segmented often headless, eyeless, and legless larvae compare maggot
b
: a large stout-bodied fly
3
: a fishhook dressed (as with feathers or tinsel) to suggest an insect
flyer; flyest
1
chiefly African American English
: impressively good, attractive, or stylish
The singer was spotted out and about … looking fly as ever in an all-black hooded outfit.—Natalie Michie
Natalie Michie… the Destiny's Child alum knew she was looking flyer than ever, stopping to pose for a few extra flirty photo opportunities as she arrived.—McKenna Aiello
McKenna AielloMary J. [Blige] had a tough job following up on one of the flyest debut albums in the hip-hop nation. Instead of trying to outdo herself, she took her music to the next level …—Gerald Dee
Gerald Dee
Examples of fly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebShawn Tully, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024
Guy Fieri, empanadas:All the new restaurants at Sky Harbor Airport in 2024
Where does Southwest fly for $39 each way from Phoenix?
—Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 2 Apr. 2024
Delta will be flying two routes—the first on an Airbus A220 with extra-long windows, even in the bathroom, and the second on an A321neo.
—Nik Popli, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024
And how does Silcott know so much about a drone that flies and kills by itself with no human controlling it?
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2024
But what struck me was the talking black cat and the killer clown having a shoot-out with the KGB, bullets flying everywhere, and, impossibly, no one getting hit.
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
The shutout stayed intact, however, when Blackburn got No. 9 hitter Gabriel Arias to fly out to shallow right field, where second baseman Zack Gelof battled the sun to snare the third out.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 31 Mar. 2024
As a seasoned traveler, Ruiz was used to navigating airports, but her partner struggled with flying.
—Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024
Gold may not underpin the value of currencies or lure in the average investor like it once did, but the shiny yellow metal always has its supporters—and the goldbugs are flying again.
—Will Daniel, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024
Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 2 Apr. 2024
This helps anticipate the driver’s next move and the car can alter its setup on the fly to ensure a perfect dynamic response.
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 2 Apr. 2024
His band is performing this all on the fly and in real time.
—Anthony Bryant, Essence, 28 Mar. 2024
Then there’s the sound of flies, harbingers of a death scene.
—Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 27 Mar. 2024
Head-shaking and tail-swishing are far more common as an agitated response to flies, or to resistance to or discomfort from being ridden.
—TIME, 25 Mar. 2024
However, being able to design a robot that gives you that kind of emotion but also flies was quite a challenge.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Mar. 2024
Beetles eat dung, flies lay eggs, other insects come to eat the larvae of these animals.
—Christie Taylor, Popular Science, 13 Mar. 2024
In ancient Egypt, some believe that the gift of elaborate golden fly necklaces is associated with military honors.
—Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024
Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 14 Aug. 2023
On stage and in magazine spreads, rappers have waged a Cold War about who could dress the flyest, wear the most outré thing, push the envelope the furthest.
—Jacob Gallagher, WSJ, 11 Aug. 2023
For four Wednesdays this summer, fans in the flyest pairs of sneakers and trendiest fashions lined up at a high rise in the city’s West Loop neighborhood.
—Shakeia Taylor, Chicago Tribune, 10 Aug. 2023
Loewe Paula’s Ibiza shorts in denim, $550 (Loewe) Be the flyest foo at the function with these denim Loewe shorts.
—The Editors, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2023
Verb
The best bet that Boeing will fly out of this tailspin is that Mollenkopf will guide its board to choosing the right pilot.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024
Guy Fieri, empanadas:All the new restaurants at Sky Harbor Airport in 2024
Where does Southwest fly for $39 each way from Phoenix?
—Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 2 Apr. 2024
Delta will be flying two routes—the first on an Airbus A220 with extra-long windows, even in the bathroom, and the second on an A321neo.
—Nik Popli, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024
And how does Silcott know so much about a drone that flies and kills by itself with no human controlling it?
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2024
But what struck me was the talking black cat and the killer clown having a shoot-out with the KGB, bullets flying everywhere, and, impossibly, no one getting hit.
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
The shutout stayed intact, however, when Blackburn got No. 9 hitter Gabriel Arias to fly out to shallow right field, where second baseman Zack Gelof battled the sun to snare the third out.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 31 Mar. 2024
As a seasoned traveler, Ruiz was used to navigating airports, but her partner struggled with flying.
—Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024
Gold may not underpin the value of currencies or lure in the average investor like it once did, but the shiny yellow metal always has its supporters—and the goldbugs are flying again.
—Will Daniel, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024
Noun
The Kings are adjusting their rotation on the fly after Kevin Huerter suffered a torn labrum and Malik Monk went down with an MCL sprain.
—Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 2 Apr. 2024
This helps anticipate the driver’s next move and the car can alter its setup on the fly to ensure a perfect dynamic response.
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 2 Apr. 2024
His band is performing this all on the fly and in real time.
—Anthony Bryant, Essence, 28 Mar. 2024
Then there’s the sound of flies, harbingers of a death scene.
—Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 27 Mar. 2024
Head-shaking and tail-swishing are far more common as an agitated response to flies, or to resistance to or discomfort from being ridden.
—TIME, 25 Mar. 2024
However, being able to design a robot that gives you that kind of emotion but also flies was quite a challenge.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Mar. 2024
Beetles eat dung, flies lay eggs, other insects come to eat the larvae of these animals.
—Christie Taylor, Popular Science, 13 Mar. 2024
In ancient Egypt, some believe that the gift of elaborate golden fly necklaces is associated with military honors.
—Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024
Adjective
From Kandi’s two-piece silver ensemble to Porsha Williams’s crystal top, the women were some of the flyest concertgoers at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium this weekend.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 14 Aug. 2023
On stage and in magazine spreads, rappers have waged a Cold War about who could dress the flyest, wear the most outré thing, push the envelope the furthest.
—Jacob Gallagher, WSJ, 11 Aug. 2023
For four Wednesdays this summer, fans in the flyest pairs of sneakers and trendiest fashions lined up at a high rise in the city’s West Loop neighborhood.
—Shakeia Taylor, Chicago Tribune, 10 Aug. 2023
Loewe Paula’s Ibiza shorts in denim, $550 (Loewe) Be the flyest foo at the function with these denim Loewe shorts.
—The Editors, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb (1) and Noun (1)
Middle English flien, from Old English flēogan; akin to Old High German fliogan to fly and probably to Old English flōwan to flow
Noun (2)
Middle English flie, from Old English flēoge; akin to Old High German flioga fly, Old English flēogan to fly
Adjective
probably from fly entry 1
First Known Use
Verb (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (2)
1893, in the meaning defined above
Noun (2)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1664, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of fly was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing fly
Dictionary Entries Near fly
Cite this Entry
“Fly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fly. Accessed 15 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
fly
1 of 4 verb1
a
: to move in or pass through the air with wings
b
: to move through the air or with the wind
also
: to move through outer space
c
: to float or cause to float, wave, or soar in the air
flags flying
fly a kite
2
: to take flight : flee
3
: to move or pass swiftly
time flies
4
a
: to operate or travel in an aircraft or spacecraft
b
: to journey over or through by flying
fly the Atlantic
c
: to transport by aircraft or spacecraft
fly
2 of 4 noun
plural flies
1
a
: a garment closing concealed by a fold of cloth
b
: the outer fabric of a tent with a double top
c
: the length of an extended flag
also
: the loose end of a flag
2
: a baseball hit high into the air
fly
3 of 4 verb
flied; flying
: to hit a fly in baseball
fly
4 of 4 noun
plural flies
1
: a winged insect
2
: two-winged fly
especially
: one (as a housefly) that is large and has a stout body in comparison with others (as a mosquito)
3
: a fishhook covered to look like an insect
Etymology
Verb
Old English flēogan "to move through the air, fly"
Noun
Old English flēoge "flying insect"
Medical Definition
fly
noun
plural flies
1
: a winged insect
—usually used in combination
emerging mayflies
a large butterfly
2
a
: any dipteran fly
called also true fly, two-winged fly
b
: a large and stout-bodied dipteran fly (as a horsefly)
Geographical Definition
Fly
geographical name
river 650 miles (1046 kilometers) long in southern New Guinea flowing southeast into the Gulf of Papua
More from Merriam-Webster on fly
Nglish: Translation of fly for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of fly for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fly
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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