Meaning & use

fugitive

noun·Advanced

A person who is running away, especially from the law or from danger.

See it in a sentence

Police searched the woods for hours after the fugitive escaped from custody.

The fugitive lived under a false name for nearly a decade before being caught.

A note on using this word

Fugitive can also function as an adjective meaning fleeting, as in "a fugitive moment of happiness."

Words with a similar meaning

runawayescapee

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “fugitive”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.