on the fly

phrase

1
: in motion : busy
2
: while still in the air : without the ball bouncing
The home run carried 450 feet on the fly.
3
: in a hurry and often without preparation : hastily, spontaneously
making decisions on the fly
4
: simultaneously with another task
software that handles formatting on the fly

Examples of on the fly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Unlike traditional malware, which must be written to run on specific hardware or software, the model was able to use its weights to make configurations on the fly that were specific to the devices it was tested against. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026 Most people will likely rely on the app's automatic switching mode, which adjusts settings on the fly without taking data off the device. — Charles Jefferies, PC Magazine, 11 Oct. 2026 Swagel cautioned against doing arithmetic on the fly but offered some back-of-the-envelope numbers. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026 The Packers have played bad, are rebuilding their offensive line almost in its entirety on the fly, and yet have managed to scrape to 2-2. — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for on the fly

Cite this Entry

“On the fly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20fly. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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