# flown

/ˈfɫoʊn/ (US) · /flˈəʊn/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. traveled by air

verb · CEFR A2

the form of 'fly' used after 'have' or 'has' to talk about traveling in the air.

For teachers: the past participle of the intransitive or transitive verb 'fly', used to form the present perfect and past perfect tenses.

- I have never flown in a helicopter before today.
- By the time the storm reached the coast, the migratory birds had already flown south for the winter.

Usage: Used with the auxiliary verb 'have' to form perfect tenses.

### 2. moved quickly

verb · CEFR B1

the form of 'fly' used to describe time or people moving very fast.

For teachers: the past participle of 'fly' used figuratively to denote rapid motion or the perceived quick passage of time.

- The last two weeks have flown by so quickly.
- The summer months had flown by in a blur of activity, leaving the students little time to prepare for their final examinations.

### 3. theatre scenery

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

describes scenery that is hanging above a stage.

For teachers: describes scenery or equipment that has been raised into the flies (the space above the stage) using a rigging system.

- The heavy backdrop was flown out of sight during the scene change.
- The production design featured several flown elements that descended from the grid to transform the stage into a forest.

Usage: Often used in the passive voice or as a participial adjective.

## Examples

- I have never flown in a helicopter before.
- By the time the storm hit the coast, the migratory birds had already flown south for the winter.
- Having flown thousands of miles across the Atlantic, the weary pilot finally touched down on the narrow runway as the sun began to set over the horizon.

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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.