flier

noun

fli·​er ˈflī(-ə)r How to pronounce flier (audio)
variants or less commonly flyer
Synonyms of fliernext
1
: one that flies
She's a frequent flier on that airline.
specifically : airman
He was a flier on an aircraft carrier.
2
: a reckless or speculative venture
—usually used in the phrase take a flier
He took a flier in politics soon after getting his degree.
3
usually flyer : an advertising circular
Flyers announcing the concert were distributed throughout the city.

Synonyms of flier

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Examples of flier in a Sentence

These birds are graceful fliers. They distributed flyers announcing the concert throughout the city.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Passengers can stretch out and use the seat’s ingenious recline function, which has hard-shell backing and offers a cradling motion that slides the seat forward and up for eight inches of recline without disturbing the flier behind. — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026 The industrials sector of the S&P 500 is trading at a price-to-earnings ratio above 30, a level investors more often associate with high fliers, and a P/E ratio that is well above industrials' long-term average, which is closer to 20. — Paxton Honerkamp, CNBC, 26 July 2026 Frequent fliers and travelers requiring accommodations are often identified in advance to help crews deliver personalized service and coordinate onboard needs. — Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 26 July 2026 Radcliff has also joined five frequent flier programs to stretch her travel dollars, but she isn't swayed by miles. — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for flier

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of flier was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing flier

Rhymes for flier

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Browse Nearby Words

flied
flier
fliffis
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Cite this Entry

“Flier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flier. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

flier

noun
fli·​er
variants also flyer
ˈflī(-ə)r
1
: one that flies
especially : pilot entry 1 sense 3
2
: an undertaking (as in business) that involves much risk
3
: an advertising circular

More from Merriam-Webster on flier

Nglish: Translation of flier for Spanish Speakers

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