Flee vs Run away hurry

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Flee

Top 5,000 (fairly common)C1verb

Run away hurry

Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Run away hurry
 FleeRun away hurry
Pronunciation🇬🇧 //fliː//🇺🇸 //fliː//🇬🇧 //rʌn əˈweɪ//🇺🇸 //rʌn əˈweɪ//
MeaningTo run away quickly from danger or trouble.To leave quickly from a place or situation.
ExampleThey had to flee the country to escape persecution.The dog saw the open gate and decided to run away.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 5,000 (fairly common)Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR levelC1-
Part of speechverb
Collocationsflee from danger, flee the scene, flee the countryrun away quickly, run away from home, run away to escape, run away in fear, run away from danger
Antonymsapproach, confront, stay-
Common mistakesConfused with 'fleeing' as the continuous form., Using 'flee' with inanimate objects instead of people., Incorrectly using 'flee' in non-emergency contexts.Using 'run away' without a direct object where it's needed., Confusing 'run away' with 'run off', which implies a more permanent departure.
Usage notesUse 'flee' when discussing situations involving escape or urgency. It’s more formal than 'run away', often used in legal or dramatic contexts.Use 'run away' in contexts where escaping or leaving quickly is involved. Suitable for both spoken and written English.

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Flee
Run away hurry

Frequently asked questions: Flee vs Run away hurry

What's the difference between Flee and Run away hurry?

Flee: To run away quickly from danger or trouble. Run away hurry: To leave quickly from a place or situation.

Which is more common: Flee and Run away hurry?

Run away hurry is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Flee: They had to flee the country to escape persecution. Run away hurry: The dog saw the open gate and decided to run away.

Can I use Flee and Run away hurry interchangeably?

Not always. Flee and Run away hurry are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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