ENGLISH
REFERENCE

fled

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈfɫɛd// UK //flˈɛd// fled

v. ran away from a place or a dangerous situation very quickly. It is the past tense of 'flee'.

v. the past tense and past participle of 'flee', meaning to run away from a place or situation of perceived danger. Often implies a sudden or hurried departure.


SIMPLE

The suspect fled the scene before the police arrived.

CONTEXTUAL

Thousands of people fled across the border to escape the rising floodwaters and find safety in the neighboring country.

COMPLEX

As the financial scandal broke, several high-ranking executives fled the country, leaving the remaining board members to face the legal consequences alone.

Synonyms
Usage

The verb can be used transitively (fled the city) or intransitively (fled from the fire).

Pitfall

they fleed the buildingthey fled the buildingThe verb 'flee' is irregular; the past tense is 'fled', not 'fleed'.

© 2026 English Reference