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Flier vs Flyer | Definition, Difference & Examples

Flier vs Flyer | Definition, Difference & Examples

Commonly Confused Words updated on November 19, 2023 2 min read

Flier and flyer are two versions of the same noun that refers to a leaflet or to a person or thing that flies. They are often used interchangeably, but there is a common distinction:

Flier is generally used to describe someone or something that flies.
Flyer is generally used to describe a brochure or advertising leaflet.

However, different style guides give different opinions on the matter. If you’re not following a specific style guide, use “flyer” for a leaflet and “flyer” or “flier” for someone or something that flies.

Examples: Flier in a sentence	Examples: Flyer in a sentence
Rogan saves frequent flier miles because of his business trips.	The flyer advertised a neighborhood block party this weekend.
The superhero soared through the sky like a fearless flier.	She handed out flyers promoting her art exhibition at the local gallery.
The dragonfly is an agile flier.	A colorful flyer announced the upcoming school fundraiser.

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Highflier or highflyer

Highflier is a term for someone who’s ambitious or has a lot of potential or for a stock with a rapidly increasing price. “Highflier” can also be spelled “high flier,” “highflyer,” and “high flyer.”

Examples: Highflier (or highflyer) in a sentence
Jody regretted her investment because the stock didn’t turn out to be a highflier.
My best friend has always been a highflier, and she’s likely to achieve a lot in life!

Take a flyer or take a flier

The expression take a flier means “take a risk.” In this context, the noun is most commonly spelled “flier,” not “flyer.” This version is also favored by AP style.

Examples: Take a flier in a sentence
Sam took a flier when she invested her money in crypto currency.
Changing jobs is always scary, but I’ll take a flier on it.

Common mistakes	Commonly confused words	Rhetoric
Whoa or woah	Advisor vs adviser	Metonymy
Theirs or their's	Former vs latter	Alliteration
Ours or our's	Affect vs effect	Pun
Forty or fourty	Among vs between	Malapropism
Sence or sense	Council vs counsel	Trope

Frequently asked questions about flier vs flyer

Is it paper flyer or flier?

The most common version is paper flyer. Even though flier and flyer are often used interchangeably, most language authorities favor “flyer” to refer to a leaflet.

The plural noun form is paper flyers.

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Is it frequent flier or flyer?

Both frequent flier and frequent flyer can be used to describe someone who flies often. Even though flier and flyer are often used interchangeably, most language authorities favor “flier” to refer to someone who flies.

The plural noun form is frequent fliers.

The QuillBot Grammar Checker can automatically fix your mistakes for free!

Is it marketing flier or flyer?

The most common version is marketing flyer. Even though flier and flyer are often used interchangeably, most language authorities favor “flyer” to refer to a leaflet.

The plural noun form is marketing flyers.

The QuillBot Grammar Checker can automatically fix your mistakes for free!

Julia Merkus

Julia has master's degrees in Linguistics and Language and speech pathology. Her expertise lies in grammar, language and speech disorders, foreign language learning, and child language acquisition.

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