fly-by-night

[flahy-bahy-nahyt] / ˈflaɪ baɪˌnaɪt /

ADJECTIVE

unreliable and shady

Synonyms

STRONG

brief cowboy ephemeral passing temporary

WEAK

disreputable dubious evanescent fleeting here-today-gone-tomorrow impermanent irresponsible momentary not to be relied upon not to be trusted questionable shady shifty short-lived slimy slippery treacherous trustless undependable unprofessional unreliable unsure untrustworthy

Antonyms

STRONG

enduring lasting long permanent

WEAK

dependable reliable reputable responsible trustworthy

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Many of the detainees are without any legal counsel or fallen prey to fly-by-night immigration attorneys.

From Salon • May 30, 2026

According to a federal complaint, 27-year-old Abdinajib Hassan Yussuf set up a fly-by-night autism center claiming to provide one-on-one therapy for autistic children.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026

There are just too many fly-by-night operations that either treat your personal data carelessly or, in some cases, just steal it.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 12, 2024

But she doesn’t consider Chaudhari’s team to be like other fly-by-night investors.

From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2023

Those jars were something you might expect to find in the basement of a fly-by-night medical school, not a house full of children.

From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs

fly-by-night

Example Sentences

Related Words