A fugitive is someone who is running away or hiding, usually from the law. When a criminal escapes from prison or flees before their trial, they become a fugitive. Police departments post wanted signs and search actively for fugitives who have broken the law and refuse to face the consequences.

In American history, people who escaped from slavery were called fugitives, though they were running from an unjust system rather than doing anything wrong. The Underground Railroad helped these fugitives reach freedom in the northern states and Canada.

The word can also describe anything temporary or fleeting. A fugitive thought is one that slips through your mind quickly before you can fully grasp it. A fugitive glimpse means you caught sight of something only briefly before it disappeared.

Today, US Marshals and other law enforcement agencies track fugitives who have fled across state lines. Some fugitives hide for years before being caught, while others turn themselves in when they realize running only makes things worse. The phrase “fugitive from justice” emphasizes that what they're really running from is being held accountable for what they've done.