fly-by-night

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.

The proliferation of fly-by-night flags and registers has fanned concern about possible accidents involving old tankers with sanctioned cargoes, but until the recent seizures Western governments have mostly allowed them to sail unimpeded.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

Anybody who might have assumed that “Rust” was some fly-by-night exploitation flick should know that its bones are very much that of a moody indie with a heart and a conscience.

From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2025

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

Experts say the problem is fueled by the ease of setting up a fly-by-night operation online to move goods.

From Washington Times • Jan. 1, 2024

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