flew
0 antonyms and opposites of flew, grouped by meaning.
Verb — Past tense of fly: moved through the air.
How to use flew
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Middle English flew, flow, from Old English flēag, flug-, from Proto-Germanic *flaug, *flug-, past tense forms of Proto-Germanic *fleuganą (“to fly”). Compare Saterland Frisian flooch (“flew”), West Frisian fleach (“flew”), Dutch vloog (“flew”), German flog (“flew”), Danish fløj (“flew”), Swedish flög (“flew”), Ic...
Full origin of flew →Frequently asked questions
What does “flew” mean?
The word “flew” means past tense of fly: moved through the air. In plain terms, the simple past tense of "fly" — used for both literal flight and figurative senses like "flew into a rage" or "time flew by.".
How do you pronounce “flew”?
“Flew” is pronounced floo (/fluː/ in IPA).
How do you use “flew” in a sentence?
Here is “flew” used in a sentence: “The plane flew over the mountains just before sunset.”
What part of speech is “flew”?
“Flew” is a verb.
Is “flew” a common word?
“Flew” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between "flew" and "flown"?
"Flew" is the simple past tense of fly and stands alone, as in "the bird flew away." "Flown" is the past participle and needs a helping verb such as have, has, or had, as in "the bird has flown away."
Is it "flew" or "flied"?
For the ordinary meaning of moving through the air, the past tense is "flew," because fly is an irregular verb. "Flied" is used only in baseball, as in "he flied out to left field," and never for actual flight.
When do you use "flew" instead of "flow"?
"Flew" is the past tense of fly and refers to movement through the air. "Flow" is a different verb meaning to move steadily like a liquid, so the two are not interchangeable despite sounding similar.
Can "flew" be used figuratively?
Yes. Beyond literal flight, "flew" often describes moving very fast or time passing quickly, as in "she flew down the stairs" or "the afternoon flew by."