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Glite Dictionary
in flight

in flight

24 2.6
Moving through the air like birds or insects
  • idiom
translation icon : en vuelo
  • She felt a sense of freedom soaring through the skies in flight.
  • bird in flight
  • bat in flight
  • ball in flight

Often we want to be able to change the thrust of an engine in flight.

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Examples

  • The recent improvements in autofocus technology have made photographing birds in flight more enjoyable and rewarding.

    Academic text (2007)

  • The plane experienced turbulence while cruising in flight over the ocean.

  • One bird follows another in flight away.

  • Suddenly, while it was still in flight, the giant screen went dark.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • You've been in flight a long time.

    Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979)

  • And even these exceptions are remarkable - hospitals, planes in flight, that sort of thing.

    The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

  • We watched the birds singing in flight with a high, lisping sound.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • We hear the loud oncoming sound of the plane in flight, as Dennis coolly asks for Penny's seat.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • MAN [over intercom]: Ladies and gentlemen, due to freezing weather conditions and some strong headwinds, we will be in flight a little longer than usual, but we will get you there by morning.

    Marry Me (2022)

  • Birdwatchers often observe migratory patterns of geese in flight during the fall.

Synonyms

airborne
vsin flight
87 3.9

Carried through the air, like dust, pollen, or germs

is the action of flying through the air under one's own power
in-flight
vsin flight
17 3.4

Things offered on a plane during a flight, like meals or entertainment

is broader, applying to any being in the air not only services
on the wing
vsin flight
5 5.1

Flying, especially about birds or insects

is used for any object or craft while moving through the air
mid-flight
vsin flight
4.0

While a plane is in the air

is about any time while flying rather than only the middle part

Antonyms

ground
∞ 1.0

The solid surface of the earth that people walk on and plants grow in

Surface Forms

in flight positive

Morphology

in + flight

The phrase 'in flight' is a straightforward preposition + noun composition meaning 'in the state of flying' and can be directly derived from knowing 'in' (indicating a state or position) and 'flight' (the act or state of flying). This compositional pattern is common across languages and follows standard English usage, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand it.

Etymology

The phrase in flight shows the simple image of being in the air during a flight. Imagine a bird or plane moving through the sky, so it means 'while flying'.