flown: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral
Quick answer
What does “flown” mean?
Past participle of the verb 'fly', meaning to have traveled through the air.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Past participle of the verb 'fly', meaning to have traveled through the air.
In a state of having been carried or moved through the air (e.g., by plane or wind). Can also figuratively describe something having moved or passed quickly.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling of related words may differ (e.g., 'aeroplane' vs. 'airplane').
Connotations
None.
Frequency
Equally common in both dialects.
Grammar
How to Use “flown” in a Sentence
[Sbj] + have/had + flown + [Adv/PP][Sbj] + be + flown + [to/from/by] + [Obj]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “flown” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The parcel should have flown from Heathrow by now.
- He has never flown in an aeroplane.
American English
- The CEO was flown to the emergency meeting.
- I would have flown, but I chose to drive.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in logistics and travel contexts, e.g., 'The delegates have been flown in for the conference.'
Academic
Used in physics/geography contexts, e.g., 'The samples were flown to the lab for analysis.'
Everyday
Common in travel narratives, e.g., 'I've never flown before.'
Technical
Aviation and aeronautics, e.g., 'The prototype has flown over 100 test hours.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “flown”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “flown”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “flown”
- Using 'flown' as past simple (incorrect: 'Yesterday I flown to Paris.' correct: '...flew...').
- Confusing 'flown' with 'flew' (past simple).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Flew' is the simple past tense. 'Flown' is the past participle, used with auxiliary verbs like 'have', 'has', 'had', 'is', 'was', 'were'.
Almost never in standard English. It requires an auxiliary (have/had/be) except in very rare, elliptical constructions (e.g., 'Mission flown.').
'Flowed' is the past participle of 'flow' (movement of liquid). 'Flown' is the past participle of 'fly' (movement through air). They are homophones but different words.
Only etymologically. 'High-flown' is an adjective meaning pretentious or extravagantly ambitious in language or ideas, derived from the image of flying too high.
Past participle of the verb 'fly', meaning to have traveled through the air.
Flown is usually neutral in register.
Flown: in British English it is pronounced /fləʊn/, and in American English it is pronounced /floʊn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “flown the coop (escaped)”
- “high-flown (pretentious)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Flown' rhymes with 'grown' – both are past participles (have grown, have flown).
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS TRAVEL (e.g., 'The years have flown by').
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'flown' correctly?