# fugitive

/ˈfjudʒətɪv/ (US) · /fjˈuːdʒɪtˌɪv/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. person fleeing the law

noun · CEFR B2

someone who is running away or hiding, especially from the police or a legal situation.

For teachers: a person who has escaped from a place or is in hiding, especially to avoid arrest or persecution.

- The fugitive was finally caught by the police after hiding in the woods for three days.
- Federal agents tracked the fugitive across three state lines before apprehending him at a remote farmhouse near the border.

Usage: often used with the preposition 'from'.

### 2. running away

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

describes someone who is currently escaping or running away from somewhere.

For teachers: relating to or characteristic of a person who is fleeing from pursuit or custody.

- The fugitive prisoner was spotted near the train station late last night.
- The authorities issued a warning regarding a fugitive convict who had escaped from the high-security facility during a power outage.

Usage: usually placed before a noun.

Teaching tip: This is less common than the noun form in everyday speech.

### 3. short-lived

adjective · CEFR C2 · Literary

lasting for only a very short time.

For teachers: transient, fleeting, or ephemeral in nature; passing quickly away.

- He tried to capture the fugitive beauty of the sunset in his painting.
- The poet reflects on the fugitive nature of youth, noting how quickly the vibrant energy of one's early years dissolves into memory.

Teaching tip: In this sense, the word is almost exclusively found in poetry or high-level academic prose.

## Examples

- The fugitive hid in the forest for weeks.
- Police released a sketch of the fugitive to help the public identify him.
- The fugitive remained at large for months, evading capture through a series of clever disguises and careful movements.

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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.