Sapling Logo

“Flew” or “Flu” or “Flue”

flew / flu / flue are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term.

Get Sapling See examples
Definitions

What each term means

Same sound, different spellings and meanings, shown with a pronunciation guide for each term.

flew f·l·UW

  • verbtravel through the air; be airborne.
  • verbmove quickly or suddenly.
  • verboperate an airplane.
  • verbtransport by aeroplane.
  • verbcause to fly or float.
  • verbbe dispersed or disseminated.
  • verbchange quickly from one emotional state to another.
  • verbpass away rapidly.
  • verbtravel in an airplane.
  • verbdisplay in the air or cause to float.
  • verbtravel over (an area of land or sea) in an aircraft.
  • verbhit a fly.

flu f·l·UW

No dictionary entry for this spelling — see the usage examples below for how it shows up in writing.

flue f·l·UW

  • nouna conduit to carry off smoke.
Usage

Examples in context

Real sentences for each spelling. Hover an example to copy it.

“flew”

  • The pilot says that he flew in company of Vladimir Poleto…
  • …Japan, the µ10, using microwaves, flew on the Hayabusa mission.
  • …destroyed when the Swat Kats flew into Earth's atmosphere which caused…
  • …Lenart, an American pilot who flew one of the fighters, Avidan…
  • …of MI6 Sir Richard Dearlove flew to Washington to brief the…
  • Transport Flight (Japan) flew its last courier missions on…
  • …she says "like Icarus, I flew too close to the sun,"…
  • …MSN005, SIA 9V-SKA and 9V-SKB) flew to Tarbes, France to be
  • …named appropriately after planes which flew from Bankstown during the Second…
  • …the International Psychoanalytical Association (IPA), flew into Vienna from London via…

“flu”

  • …community, including mammograms, blood work, flu shots, pap tests, bone density…
  • …2009 cull after the bird flu virus was found.
  • …2 despite suffering from the flu.
  • …include: Acustop Cataplasma, Adofeed, Anazin, Anflupin, Anorcid, Ansaid, Antadys, Antafen, Antipain,…
  • After the pandemic "Spanish flu" occurred in 1918, African American…
  • …of the deadly 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic which struck hard at…
  • Category:Deaths from Spanish flu
  • Bird flu
  • …and victims of the 1918 flu pandemic, but succumbed herself, permanently…
  • Swine flu

“flue”

  • …Kingdom, and was fitted with Flue Gas Desulphurisation equipment and low…
  • …of air going up the flue.

Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions are drawn from WordNet.

Too much to remember?

Looking for a tool that handles this for you wherever you write?

Install Sapling Try the grammar checker