flying

1 of 2

adjective

fly·​ing ˈflī-iŋ How to pronounce flying (audio)
1
a
: moving or capable of moving in the air
b
: moving or made by moving rapidly
flying feet
a flying leap
c
: very brief
2
: intended for ready movement or action
a flying squad car
3
: having stylized wings
used especially of livestock brand marks
4
: of or relating to the operation of aircraft
a flying club
5
: traversed or to be traversed (as in speed-record trials) after a running start
a flying kilometer

flying

2 of 2

noun

1
: travel by air
2
: the operation of an aircraft or spacecraft
Phrases
with flying colors
: with complete or eminent success

Examples of flying in a Sentence

Adjective a story about a flying car a flying attempt at finishing the work Noun had never had the slightest fear of flying
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Should conditions clear up to allow for safer flying conditions, the sheriff’s department will utilize its ASTREA unit to conduct an aerial search. Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 7 Feb. 2024 This is roughly the same flying speed of the great California Condor and far faster than the flying speed of a common backyard bird like a sparrow. Paul M. Sutter, Discover Magazine, 11 Dec. 2023 Social media users have suggested the small flying objects were Skittles candy. Janelle Ash, Fox News, 3 July 2023 As cars finished their final flying laps, Will Power – who on Saturday made his first Fast Six of the season – jumped from 6th to 1st, just seconds before Felix Rosenqvist, who crashed in the morning’s practice and required a backup car, went from 5th to 1st. Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 15 July 2023 Kirby could not say for sure if the second flying object belonged to China. Asher Notheis, Washington Examiner, 11 Feb. 2023 Interest in these encounters has also increased due to the recent mysterious flying objects spotted in American airspace, including a Chinese spy balloon that was detected over Montana in February. Denise Chow, NBC News, 31 May 2023 Despite her best efforts to evict the winged intruders, the vultures have refused to leave her property this week, in an uneasy turf war that marks an unusual episode for North America’s largest flying bird. Washington Post, 7 May 2021 Dating to more than 150 million years ago, the pterosaur holds pride of place as the largest flying reptile yet discovered in Australia. Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 24 Jan. 2023
Noun
Each item has been tested over thousands of miles and countless hours of flying, and includes everything from moisturizing cream to packing cubes. Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 19 Mar. 2024 Although the recall effort began in earnest after the school board banned the flying of the Pride flag on campus flagpoles, the rationale for removal by parents and other community members has now evolved to include bad policy-making and fractured trust. Will McCarthy, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2024 The new version, designed to blend in with the yacht, features 10 guest cabins for a comfortable flying experience for all on board. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2024 Spirit has struggled with losses for several years as larger airlines have returned to profitability since demand for flying resumed after the height of the pandemic. Chris Isidore, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 For all your flying needs, here's our complete guide to all the services in Terminal 3 and Terminal 4 at the Phoenix airport. Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 To arrive at their findings, the team studied feathers from over 340 species of flying and non-flying birds, from pelicans to penguins. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024 Its aviation unit is on standby until safer flying conditions arise. Austin Mullen, NBC News, 7 Feb. 2024 The extreme right, for some weird reason, has recently focused on DEI in commercial flying. Mike Freeman, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flying.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of flying was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near flying

Cite this Entry

“Flying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flying. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

flying

adjective
fly·​ing
ˈflī-iŋ
1
a
: moving or made by moving rapidly
a flying leap
b
: hasty sense 1a
a flying visit
2
: ready to move or act quickly
a flying squad car

More from Merriam-Webster on flying

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!