flier

1 of 2

noun (1)

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.

flyer

2 of 2

noun (2)

fly·​er

less common spelling of flier

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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Noun (1)

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of flier in a Sentence

Noun (1) 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.
Noun
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
Noun
The deal acknowledges that even though the two facilities have similar names, the confusion among flyers is minimal. — Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2026 Usual signals include overly polished images, bright colors on black backgrounds, brushstroke fonts with glowing outlines, crowded compositions and graphics or text filling every inch of the flyer. — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flier

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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

See All Rhymes for flier

Browse Nearby Words

flied
flier
fliffis
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flier. Accessed 6 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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