verb
Uncommon
fleeing
FLEE-ihng
Fleeing (verb) means present participle of "flee": running away from danger. Example: “Fleeing residents packed the highways out of town.”
verb
1
Present participle of "flee": running away from danger.
"Fleeing residents packed the highways out of town."
"She was fleeing an abusive relationship when she arrived in the city."
"The fleeing crowd rushed toward the exits when the alarm sounded."
noun
1
The act of running away from danger.
"Their fleeing left the village nearly empty."
"The fleeing of the animals from the fire was sudden."
"Their fleeing in the night saved the whole family."
How to use fleeing
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRunning away from danger, in progress.
Common pairings
fleeing residents
fleeing the country
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Word forms
- Plural
- fleeings
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Can you complete this real example?
_____ residents packed the highways out of town.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for fleeing
See all rhymes for fleeing →Frequently asked questions
What does “fleeing” mean?
The word “fleeing” means present participle of "flee": running away from danger. In plain terms, running away from danger, in progress.
How do you pronounce “fleeing”?
“Fleeing” is pronounced FLEE-ihng (/ˈfliːɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “fleeing” in a sentence?
Here is “fleeing” used in a sentence: “Fleeing residents packed the highways out of town.”
What part of speech is “fleeing”?
Depending on how it is used, “fleeing” can be a verb and a noun.
Is “fleeing” a common word?
“Fleeing” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “fleeing” have?
“Fleeing” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: present participle of "flee": running away from danger.
What is the difference between fleeing and escaping?
Fleeing emphasizes the act of running away from danger, often in fear and without necessarily reaching safety, while escaping emphasizes successfully getting free from danger or confinement. Someone can be fleeing a fire without yet having escaped it.
Is "fleeing" always about physical danger, or can it be used more broadly?
While it originally describes running from physical danger, such as fleeing a war zone, "fleeing" is also used for urgently leaving unpleasant situations, such as fleeing responsibility or fleeing a scandal. The core sense of urgent, fear-driven departure carries over into these figurative uses.
Do you say "fleeing from danger" or just "fleeing danger"?
Both are correct: "flee" can take a direct object without "from," as in "fleeing the city," or use "from," as in "fleeing from danger." "Flee from" is slightly more common in everyday speech, while "flee" without "from" is common in writing.
