Fly vs. Soar: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on September 28, 2023
Fly means to move through the air under control, while soar implies a graceful and sustained flight, generally at a higher altitude, often without flapping wings.
Key Differences
Fly and soar both pertain to the action of moving through the air. The term "fly" is more generic and implies moving through the air using wings or through other means. It encompasses a variety of methods and manners of flight, including flapping wings or gliding. It’s a term applicable to a broad range of creatures and objects, like birds, insects, and airplanes, and does not necessarily denote a specific manner or height of flight. Soar, on the other hand, has a more specific implication, typically referring to high, sustained, and graceful flight, usually with little to no wing-flapping, like that of eagles or gliders.
Fly can refer to both the action and the manner of traveling through the air. It is a versatile term, utilized to describe the flight of birds, insects, and man-made objects like airplanes and drones. It’s associated with the ability to navigate and control movement in the air, regardless of the method, whether by flapping wings or propulsion. In contrast, soar specifically implies a smooth and effortless flight, often at high altitudes, commonly utilizing air currents to remain aloft without expending much energy. It usually involves little to no wing movement and is more associated with birds of prey and gliders than with insects or commercial airplanes.
When considering the terms fly and soar, the range of application is crucial. Fly is more universal, describing any form of controlled movement through the air, making it applicable to almost any airborne object or creature. It does not imply any specific altitude, duration, or manner of flight. Soar is more refined and usually denotes a flight that is high, steady, and often prolonged, typically relying on air currents. It’s a form of flight usually associated with large birds and is not typically used to describe the flight of insects or the operation of airplanes.
To sum it up, while fly is a general term used to describe the act of being airborne, whether by birds, insects, or man-made objects, and does not specify the method or manner of flight, soar is more specialized. Soar implies a high, sustained, and often graceful flight, usually exploiting thermals or updrafts and is commonly associated with large birds or aircraft designed to glide. Both terms are central in avian observation and aviation but are used in different contexts to convey different aspects of flight.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Moving through the air under control.
Graceful and sustained flight at a higher altitude.
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Specificity
General term, does not specify manner or altitude.
Implies high altitude and often little wing movement.
Associated Entities
Birds, insects, airplanes, drones.
Large birds, gliders.
Energy Expenditure
May involve active flapping or propulsion.
Usually involves gliding on air currents with less energy expenditure.
Application
More universal in describing airborne movement.
More specific, usually describing graceful and elevated flight.
Fly and Soar Definitions
Fly
To travel in an aircraft as a passenger.
We will fly to Paris for our vacation.
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Soar
To glide in a current of air.
The glider soared effortlessly through the sky.
Fly
To move or be hurled quickly through the air.
The baseball seemed to fly right out of the stadium.
Soar
To ascend to a level markedly higher than the usual.
The kite soared in the breeze.
Fly
To flee; to run away.
He had to fly to escape his pursuers.
Soar
To rise rapidly.
The company's profits continued to soar.
Fly
To move through the air by means of wings or winglike parts.
Soar
To fly aloft or about.
The eagle soars above the mountain peaks.
Fly
To travel by air
We flew to Dallas.
Soar
To rise or fly into the air
The startled hawk soared away.
Fly
To operate an aircraft or spacecraft.
Soar
To maintain altitude without moving the wings or using an engine; glide.
Fly
To rise in or be carried through the air by the wind
A kite flying above the playground.
Soar
To increase or improve suddenly above the normal or usual level
Sales soared. Our spirits soared.
Fly
To float or flap in the air
Pennants flying from the masthead.
Soar
The act of soaring.
Fly
To move or be sent through the air with great speed
Bullets flying in every direction.
A plate that flew from my hands when I stumbled.
Soar
The altitude or scope attained in soaring.
Fly
To move with great speed; rush or dart
The children flew down the hall.
Soar
(intransitive) To fly high with little effort, like a bird.
Fly
To be communicated to many people
Rumors are flying about their breakup.
Soar
To mount upward on wings, or as on wings, especially by gliding while employing rising air currents.
Fly
To flee; escape.
Soar
To remain aloft by means of a glider or other unpowered aircraft.
Fly
To hasten; spring
Flew to her students' defense.
Soar
To rise, especially rapidly or unusually high.
The pump prices soared into new heights as the strike continued.
Fly
To pass by swiftly
A vacation flying by.
Soar
(figuratively) To rise in thought, spirits, or imagination; to be exalted in mood.
Fly
To be dissipated; vanish
All his money has flown.
Soar
The act of soaring.
Fly
Past tense and past participle flied (flīd) Baseball To hit a fly ball.
Soar
An upward flight.
Fly
To shatter or explode
The dropped plate flew into pieces.
Soar
To fly aloft, as a bird; to mount upward on wings, or as on wings.
When soars Gaul's vulture with his wings unfurled.
Fly
To become suddenly emotional, especially angry
The driver flew into a rage.
Soar
Fig.: To rise in thought, spirits, or imagination; to be exalted in mood.
Where the deep transported mind may soar.
Valor soars aboveWhat the world calls misfortune.
Fly
(Informal) To gain acceptance or approval; go over
"However sophisticated the reasoning, this particular notion may not fly" (New York Times).
Soar
To fly by wind power; to glide indefinitely without loss of altitude.
Fly
To cause to fly or float in the air
Fly a kite.
Fly a flag.
Soar
The act of soaring; upward flight.
This apparent soar of the hooded falcon.
Fly
(Nautical) To operate under (a particular flag)
A tanker that flies the Liberian flag.
Soar
See 3d Sore.
Fly
To pilot (an aircraft or spacecraft).
Soar
See Sore, reddish brown.
Fly
To carry or transport in an aircraft or spacecraft
Fly emergency supplies to a stricken area.
Soar
The act of rising upward into the air
Fly
To pass over or through in flight
Flew the coastal route in record time.
Soar
Rise rapidly;
The dollar soared against the yes
Fly
To perform in a spacecraft or aircraft
Flew six missions into space.
Soar
Fly by means of a hang glider
Fly
To flee or run from
Fly a place in panic.
Soar
Fly upwards or high in the sky
Fly
To avoid; shun
Fly temptation.
Soar
Go or move upward;
The stock market soared after the cease-fire was announced
Fly
The act of flying; flight.
Soar
Fly a plane without an engine
Fly
The opening, or the fastening that closes this opening, on the front of a pair of pants.
Soar
To rise or ascend to a height.
My spirits soared at the news.
Fly
The flap of cloth that covers this opening.
Fly
A piece of protective fabric secured over a tent and often extended over the entrance.
Fly
A flyleaf.
Fly
(Baseball) A fly ball.
Fly
(Sports) In swimming, butterfly.
Fly
The span of a flag from the staff to the outer edge.
Fly
The outer edge of a flag.
Fly
A flywheel.
Fly
Flies The area directly over the stage of a theater, containing overhead lights, drop curtains, and equipment for raising and lowering sets.
Fly
Chiefly British A one-horse carriage, especially one for hire.
Fly
Any of numerous two-winged insects of the order Diptera, especially any of the family Muscidae, which includes the housefly.
Fly
Any of various other flying insects, such as a caddisfly.
Fly
A fishing lure simulating something a fish eats, such as a mayfly or a minnow, made by attaching materials such as feathers, tinsel, and colored thread to a fishhook.
Fly
Chiefly British Mentally alert; sharp.
Fly
(Slang) Fashionable; stylish.
Fly
(zoology) Any insect of the order Diptera; characterized by having two wings (except for some wingless species), also called true flies.
Fly
(non-technical) Especially, any of the insects of the family Muscidae, such as the common housefly (other families of Diptera include mosquitoes and midges).
Fly
Any similar, but not closely related insect, such as a dragonfly or butterfly.
Fly
(fishing) A lightweight fishing lure resembling an insect.
Fly
(weightlifting) A chest exercise performed by moving extended arms from the sides to in front of the chest. (also flye)
Fly
(swimming) The butterfly stroke (plural is normally flys).
Fly
(obsolete) A witch's familiar.
Fly
(obsolete) A parasite.
Fly
(preceded by definite article) A simple dance in which the hands are shaken in the air, popular in the 1960s.
Fly
(finance) A butterfly (combination of four options).
Fly
(obsolete) The action of flying; flight.
Fly
An act of flying.
There was a good wind, so I decided to give the kite a fly.
Fly
(baseball) A fly ball.
Fly
(American football) fly route
Fly
A piece of canvas that covers the opening at the front of a tent.
Fly
The sloping or roof part of the canvas of a tent.
Fly
(often plural) A strip of material (sometimes hiding zippers or buttons) at the front of a pair of trousers, pants, underpants, bootees, etc.
Ha-ha! Your flies are undone!
Fly
The free edge of a flag.
Fly
The horizontal length of a flag.
Fly
(weightlifting) An exercise that involves wide opening and closing of the arms perpendicular to the shoulders.
Fly
The part of a vane pointing the direction from which the wind blows.
Fly
(nautical) That part of a compass on which the points are marked; the compass card.
Fly
Two or more vanes set on a revolving axis, to act as a fanner, or to equalize or impede the motion of machinery by the resistance of the air, as in the striking part of a clock.
Fly
(historical) A type of small, light, fast horse-drawn carriage that can be hired for transportation (sometimes pluralised flys).
Fly
In a knitting machine, the piece hinged to the needle, which holds the engaged loop in position while the needle is penetrating another loop; a latch..
Fly
The pair of arms revolving around the bobbin, in a spinning wheel or spinning frame, to twist the yarn.
Fly
(weaving) A shuttle driven through the shed by a blow or jerk.
Fly
The person who took the printed sheets from the press.
Fly
A vibrating frame with fingers, attached to a power printing press for doing the same work.
Fly
One of the upper screens of a stage in a theatre.
Fly
(cotton manufacture) waste cotton
Fly
A wing.
The bullet barely grazed the wild fowl's fly.
Fly
(intransitive) To travel through the air, another gas, or a vacuum, without being in contact with a grounded surface.
Birds of passage fly to warmer regions as it gets colder in winter.
The Concorde flew from Paris to New York faster than any other passenger airplane.
It takes about eleven hours to fly from Frankfurt to Hong Kong.
The little fairy flew home on the back of her friend, the giant eagle.
Fly
To flee, to escape (from).
Fly, my lord! The enemy are upon us!
Fly
To cause to fly travel or float in the air: to transport via air or the like.
Charles Lindbergh flew his airplane The Spirit of St. Louis across the Atlantic ocean.
Why don’t you go outside and fly kites, kids? The wind is just perfect.
Birds fly their prey to their nest to feed it to their young.
Each day the postal service flies thousands of letters around the globe.
Fly
(intransitive) To travel or proceed very fast; to hasten.
He flew down the hill on his bicycle.
It's five o'clock already. Doesn't time fly?
Fly
(intransitive) To move suddenly, or with violence; to do an act suddenly or swiftly.
A door flies open
A bomb flies apart
Fly
(intransitive) To proceed with great success.
His career is really flying at the moment.
One moment the company was flying high, the next it was on its knees.
Fly
To be accepted, come about or work out.
Let's see if that idea flies.
You know, I just don't think that's going to fly. Why don't you spend your time on something better?
Fly
To display (a flag) on a flagpole.
Fly
(transitive) To hunt with a hawk.
Fly
To be in the winged adult stage.
This species flies from late summer until frost.
Fly
To hit a fly ball; to hit a fly ball that is caught for an out. Compare ground (verb) and line (verb).
Jones flied to right in his last at-bat.
Fly
Quick-witted, alert, mentally sharp.
Fly
(slang) Well dressed, smart in appearance; in style, cool.
He's pretty fly.
Fly
(slang) Beautiful; displaying physical beauty.
Fly
To move in or pass through the air with wings, as a bird.
Fly
To move through the air or before the wind; esp., to pass or be driven rapidly through the air by any impulse.
Fly
To float, wave, or rise in the air, as sparks or a flag.
Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.
Fly
To move or pass swiftly; to hasten away; to circulate rapidly; as, a ship flies on the deep; a top flies around; rumor flies.
Fly, envious Time, till thou run out thy race.
The dark waves murmured as the ships flew on.
Fly
To run from danger; to attempt to escape; to flee; as, an enemy or a coward flies. See Note under Flee.
Fly, ere evil intercept thy flight.
Whither shall I fly to escape their hands ?
Fly
To move suddenly, or with violence; to do an act suddenly or swiftly; - usually with a qualifying word; as, a door flies open; a bomb flies apart.
Fly
To cause to fly or to float in the air, as a bird, a kite, a flag, etc.
The brave black flag I fly.
Fly
To fly or flee from; to shun; to avoid.
Sleep flies the wretch.
To fly the favors of so good a king.
Fly
To hunt with a hawk.
Fly
To manage (an aircraft) in flight; as, to fly an aëroplane.
Fly
Any winged insect; esp., one with transparent wings; as, the Spanish fly; firefly; gall fly; dragon fly.
Fly
A hook dressed in imitation of a fly, - used for fishing.
Fly
A familiar spirit; a witch's attendant.
A trifling fly, none of your great familiars.
Fly
A parasite.
Fly
A kind of light carriage for rapid transit, plying for hire and usually drawn by one horse.
Fly
The length of an extended flag from its staff; sometimes, the length from the "union" to the extreme end.
Fly
The part of a vane pointing the direction from which the wind blows.
Fly
That part of a compass on which the points are marked; the compass card.
Fly
Two or more vanes set on a revolving axis, to act as a fanner, or to equalize or impede the motion of machinery by the resistance of the air, as in the striking part of a clock.
Fly
The piece hinged to the needle, which holds the engaged loop in position while the needle is penetrating another loop; a latch.
Fly
The pair of arms revolving around the bobbin, in a spinning wheel or spinning frame, to twist the yarn.
Fly
A shuttle driven through the shed by a blow or jerk.
Fly
Formerly, the person who took the printed sheets from the press.
Fly
The outer canvas of a tent with double top, usually drawn over the ridgepole, but so extended as to touch the roof of the tent at no other place.
Fly
One of the upper screens of a stage in a theater.
Fly
The fore flap of a bootee; also, a lap on trousers, overcoats, etc., to conceal a row of buttons.
Fly
A batted ball that flies to a considerable distance, usually high in the air; also, the flight of a ball so struck; as, it was caught on the fly. Also called fly ball.
Fly
Waste cotton.
Fly
Knowing; wide awake; fully understanding another's meaning.
Fly
Two-winged insects characterized by active flight
Fly
Flap consisting of a piece of canvas that can be drawn back to provide entrance to a tent
Fly
An opening in a garment that is closed by a zipper or buttons concealed by a fold of cloth
Fly
(baseball) a hit that flies up in the air
Fly
Fisherman's lure consisting of a fishhook decorated to look like an insect
Fly
Travel through the air; be airborne;
Man cannot fly
Fly
Move quickly or suddenly;
He flew about the place
Fly
Fly a plane
Fly
Transport by aeroplane;
We fly flowers from the Caribbean to North America
Fly
Cause to fly or float;
Fly a kite
Fly
Be dispersed or disseminated;
Rumors and accusations are flying
Fly
Change quickly from one emotional state to another;
Fly into a rage
Fly
Pass away rapidly;
Time flies like an arrow
Time fleeing beneath him
Fly
Travel in an airplane;
She is flying to Cincinnati tonight
Are we driving or flying?
Fly
Display in the air or cause to float;
Fly a kite
All nations fly their flags in front of the U.N.
Fly
Run away quickly;
He threw down his gun and fled
Fly
Travel over (an area of land or sea) in an aircraft;
Lindbergh was the first to fly the Atlantic
Fly
Hit a fly
Fly
Decrease rapidly and disappear;
The money vanished in las Vegas
All my stock assets have vaporized
Fly
(British informal) not to be deceived or hoodwinked
Fly
To move through the air, typically via wings.
The bird will fly south for the winter.
Fly
To operate an aircraft.
She learned how to fly a plane at a young age.
FAQs
Is fly a more general term than soar?
Yes, fly is more general and can refer to any controlled movement through the air.
Is the term soar generally associated with high altitudes?
Yes, soar is generally associated with high, often elevated altitudes.
Is soar typically more graceful and sustained than fly?
Yes, soar typically implies a more graceful and sustained flight than fly.
Can the term fly refer to both birds and aircraft?
Yes, fly can refer to the movement of birds, insects, and aircraft.
Can soaring be related to a rise in levels or standards, metaphorically?
Yes, soar can metaphorically refer to a rapid rise in levels or standards, such as in profits or spirits.
Do both fly and soar refer to moving through the air?
Yes, both fly and soar refer to moving through the air.
Can soar imply using air currents to remain aloft?
Yes, soar often implies using air currents to glide and remain aloft with little effort.
Can man-made objects also fly?
Yes, man-made objects like airplanes and drones can also fly.
Does soar typically involve less energy expenditure than fly?
Typically, yes, soaring often involves less energy expenditure as it usually relies on gliding and air currents.
Is soaring more specific to certain birds?
Yes, soaring is more commonly associated with large birds like eagles and hawks.
Can the term soar imply little to no wing movement?
Yes, the term soar often implies a form of flight with little to no wing movement, typically gliding on air currents.
Can fly also mean to flee or run away?
Yes, fly can also colloquially mean to flee or run away rapidly.
Is flying generally associated with active wing movement or propulsion?
Yes, flying generally involves active wing movement in birds and insects, or propulsion in aircraft.
Is the term fly more versatile in its application than soar?
Yes, the term fly has a broader and more versatile range of application compared to soar.
Can both terms be used metaphorically?
Yes, both fly and soar can be used metaphorically to describe different kinds of ascents or improvements.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
