flight

/flaɪt/
/flaɪt/
IPA guide

Other forms: flights; flighted; flighting

When a bird soars through the sky powered by its wings, that's flight, the process of traveling through the air.

Humans can experience flight by getting on an airplane or trying out hang gliding. You can also describe each individual instance of flying as a flight: "I took a long flight to Sri Lanka this summer." Anything that's soaring through the air is in flight, especially if it has wings or is engineered to stay up there. As a noun, a flight is also one group or set of steps: "We had to carry her books up three flights of stairs."

Definitions of flight
  1. noun
    an instance of traveling by air
    synonyms: flying
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    types:
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    acrobatics, aerobatics, stunt flying, stunting
    the performance of stunts while in flight in an aircraft
    blind flying, blind landing
    using only instruments for flying an aircraft because you cannot see through clouds or mists etc.
    ballooning
    flying in a balloon
    fly-by, flyover, flypast
    a flight at a low altitude (usually of military aircraft) over spectators on the ground
    glide, gliding, sailing, sailplaning, soaring
    the activity of flying a glider
    maiden flight
    the first flight of its kind
    overflight
    a flight by an aircraft over a particular area (especially over an area in foreign territory)
    pass
    a flight or run by an aircraft over a target
    solo
    a flight in which the aircraft pilot is unaccompanied
    sortie
    (military) an operational flight by a single aircraft (as in a military operation)
    low level flight, terrain flight
    flight at very low altitudes
    hang gliding
    gliding in a hang glider
    paragliding, parasailing
    gliding in a parasail
    spin, tailspin
    a rapid descent of an aircraft in a steep spiral
    type of:
    air, air travel, aviation
    travel via aircraft
  2. noun
    the path followed by an object moving through space
    synonyms: trajectory
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    types:
    ballistic trajectory, ballistics
    the trajectory of an object in free flight
    gravity-assist
    (spaceflight) a trajectory that passes close to a planetary body in order to gain energy from its gravitational field
    type of:
    mechanical phenomenon
    a physical phenomenon associated with the equilibrium or motion of objects
  3. noun
    a scheduled trip by plane between designated airports
    “I took the noon flight to Chicago”
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    types:
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    connecting flight
    a flight with an intermediate stop and a change of aircraft (possibly a change of airlines)
    direct flight
    a flight with one or more intermediate stops but no change of aircraft
    domestic flight
    a flight that begins and ends in the same country
    international flight
    a flight that takes off in one country and lands in another
    nonstop, nonstop flight
    a flight made without intermediate stops between source and destination
    redeye, redeye flight
    a night flight from which the passengers emerge with eyes red from lack of sleep
    type of:
    trip
    a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)
  4. noun
    a flock of flying birds
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    type of:
    flock
    a group of birds
  5. noun
    a formation of aircraft in flight
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    type of:
    formation
    an arrangement of people or things acting as a unit
  6. noun
    an air force unit smaller than a squadron
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    type of:
    air unit
    a military unit that is part of the airforce
  7. verb
    shoot a bird in flight
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    type of:
    pip, shoot
    kill by firing a missile
  8. verb
    fly in a flock
    “flighting wild geese”
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    type of:
    fly, wing
    travel through the air; be airborne
  9. noun
    the act of escaping physically
    “his flight was an indication of his guilt”
    synonyms: escape
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    examples:
    Hegira
    the flight of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622 which marked the beginning of the Muslim era; the Muslim calendar begins in that year
    Underground Railroad
    secret aid to escaping slaves that was provided by abolitionists in the years before the American Civil War
    types:
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    evasion
    the act of physically escaping from something (an opponent or a pursuer or an unpleasant situation) by some adroit maneuver
    break, breakout, gaolbreak, jailbreak, prison-breaking, prisonbreak
    an escape from jail
    getaway, lam
    a rapid escape (as by criminals)
    exodus, hegira, hejira
    a journey by a large group to escape from a hostile environment
    skedaddle
    a hasty flight
    eluding, elusion, slip
    the act of avoiding capture (especially by cunning)
    evasive action, maneuver, manoeuvre
    an action aimed at evading an opponent
    dodge
    a quick evasive movement
    type of:
    running away
    the act of leaving (without permission) the place you are expected to be
  10. noun
    passing above and beyond ordinary bounds
    “a flight of fancy”
    “flights of rhetoric”
    “flights of imagination”
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    type of:
    creative thinking, creativeness, creativity
    the ability to create
  11. noun
    a stairway (set of steps) between one floor or landing and the next
    synonyms: flight of stairs, flight of steps
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    type of:
    staircase, stairway
    a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
  12. verb
    decorate with feathers
    synonyms: fledge
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    type of:
    adorn, beautify, decorate, embellish, grace, ornament
    make more attractive by adding ornament, color, etc.
Pronunciation
US
/flaɪt/
UK
/flaɪt/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘flight'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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