Meanings
alternative on-the-fly
- idiomaticnot comparableSpontaneously or extemporaneously; done as one goes, or during another activity.
The software program has a table of values for some results, but calculates others on the fly.
1 more example
The only process that yields problem-solving on the fly is experiential.
2026 April 9, Charles Hugh Smith, Automating Our Dependence Will Cripple UsSynonyms: in flight, on the wing, on the spot, on the hoof
- not comparableslangOn the move.
The Owl is flying high, frightening to the eye. The Rattler is nearby, Cool is on the fly. Danger is his business.
1966, “Cool McCool (theme song)”, Bernie Green (music) (Cool McCool (television series)), performed by Bob McFadden
Synonyms & antonyms
adverbWhile in the air, without having touched the ground.
adverbSpontaneously or extemporaneously; done as one goes, or during another activity.
More synonyms by meaning
adverbon the run or in a hurry
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Catalan al vol
- al volwhile in the air
Danish i farten, i skyndingen
- i fartenwhile in the air
- i skyndingenwhile in the air
Finnish lennosta, lennosta
- lennostawhile in the air
- lennostaspontaneously or extemporaneously
French à la volée, à la volée
- à la voléewhile in the air
- à la voléespontaneously or extemporaneously
- sur le flyspontaneously or extemporaneously
German in Eile, spontan
- in Eilespontaneously or extemporaneously
- spontanspontaneously or extemporaneously
- unvorbereitetspontaneously or extemporaneously
- ohne Vorbereitungspontaneously or extemporaneously
- fliegendspontaneously or extemporaneously
- auf die Schnellespontaneously or extemporaneously
- improvisiertspontaneously or extemporaneously
Polish w locie, w locie
- w lociewhile in the air
- w lociespontaneously or extemporaneously
Portuguese sem sobressaltos, no momento
- sem sobressaltoswhile in the air
- no momentospontaneously or extemporaneously
- de improvisospontaneously or extemporaneously
- durante o processospontaneously or extemporaneously
- no decorrer do processospontaneously or extemporaneously
- extemporaneamentespontaneously or extemporaneously
- em tempo realspontaneously or extemporaneously
Russian на лету́, на лету́
- на лету́ (na letú)while in the air
- на лету́ (na letú)spontaneously or extemporaneously
Spanish al vuelo, al vuelo
- al vuelowhile in the air
- al vuelospontaneously or extemporaneously
- a vuelaplumaspontaneously or extemporaneously
- sobre la marchaspontaneously or extemporaneously
- a vuelospontaneously or extemporaneously
- a bote prontospontaneously or extemporaneously
Swedish i flykten, på lyra
- i flyktenwhile in the air
- på lyrawhile in the air
- i flyktenspontaneously or extemporaneously
Turkish uçarken, anında
- uçarkenwhile in the air
- anındaspontaneously or extemporaneously
- hazırlıksızspontaneously or extemporaneously
Cite this entry
on the fly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20fly
“on the fly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20fly. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “on the fly,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20fly.
Source: on the fly on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.