fugitive

/ˈfjuːdʒətɪv/
noun
  1. A person who is running away or hiding from the law, danger, or an enemy.
    • The fugitive was finally captured after three months on the run.
    • During the war, many civilians became fugitives seeking safety.
    • The police set up roadblocks to catch the fugitive.
adjective
  1. Running away or having escaped, especially from the law or a dangerous situation.
    • The fugitive slave found shelter with abolitionists.
    • The fugitive prisoner was spotted near the river.
    • They lived as fugitive refugees in a foreign country.
  2. Lasting only a short time; fleeting or temporary.
    • Fame can be a fugitive thing, here today and gone tomorrow.
    • He chased fugitive thoughts that slipped away before he could write them down.
    • The beauty of a sunset is fugitive, gone in moments.
Antonyms