# fleeing

/ˈfɫiɪŋ/ (US) · /flˈiːɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fleeing
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 2. the act of escape

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the act of running away to find safety.

For teachers: the gerund form used as a noun to describe the process or instance of escaping.

- Their sudden fleeing in the middle of the night surprised everyone.
- The mass fleeing of capital from the country led to a sharp devaluation of the local currency within forty-eight hours.

Teaching tip: While 'fleeing' can be a noun, 'flight' is much more common in formal writing to describe the act of running away.

## Examples

- The family is fleeing the storm to find a safe shelter.
- Thousands of residents are fleeing the coastal areas as the hurricane approaches the mainland.
- The documentary captures the harrowing journey of civilians fleeing the conflict zone, highlighting the logistical challenges of providing aid to such a mobile population.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.