take flight

phrase

1
: to leave or run away from danger
Fearing arrest, they took flight and hid in the mountains.
2
US : to begin flying
The bird took flight when we tried to approach it.
3
US : to begin a period of rapid activity, development, or growth
The idea really took flight and soon it seemed everyone was copying it.

Examples of take flight in a Sentence

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.
Both artists, Morris points out, were working in the context of World War II, and the owl’s ability to both burrow and take flight may have appealed to feelings of entrapment and a desire to escape. — Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026 It’s also known as the Flying Up Moon by the Indigenous Cree people, signaling when young birds take flight for the first time. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 17 Aug. 2026 It's also known as the Flying Up Moon by North America's indigenous Cree people, to evoke the time when young birds take flight for the first time. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Nearby, guests participating in the butterfly release carefully held small containers before opening them and watching the butterflies take flight. — Sophia Buonpane, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for take flight

Rhymes for take flight

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Browse Nearby Words

take five
take flight
take/follow the path/line of least resistance
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Take flight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20flight. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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