1
as in to retreat
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
the ground soldiers bugged out just before the start of the aerial bombing
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to depart
to leave a place often for another
the strange visitor bugged out without so much as saying a word
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of bug out
In the clip, Crosby's eyes bug out as his head goes from shoulder-to-shoulder watching the ball successfully go in.
—
Anne Erickson, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Sealing cracks, maintaining your yard, and using insect barriers are the most effective ways to keep boxelder bugs out.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2025
Her baby's father answered the door with his eyes bugging out, and Frierson barged in to find two other guys, needles, spoons and powder on the table.
—Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
The clear lids have a tight seal that locks the temperature in and keeps the fire ants and love bugs out.
—Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bug out
Anne Erickson, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Sealing cracks, maintaining your yard, and using insect barriers are the most effective ways to keep boxelder bugs out.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2025
Her baby's father answered the door with his eyes bugging out, and Frierson barged in to find two other guys, needles, spoons and powder on the table.
—Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
The clear lids have a tight seal that locks the temperature in and keeps the fire ants and love bugs out.
—Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bug out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bug out
Verb
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Illinois lawmakers recently flirted with a tax on unrealized gains—think of stocks yet to be sold at fluctuating prices that only exist on paper—before retreating.—
Veronique De Rugy,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
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Jackson was disinvited from the Grammy Awards telecast the following week and largely retreated from the public spotlight, while Timberlake’s career continued uninterrupted.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Airport officials project more than 20,000 passengers will depart Louisville by plane the day after Derby 152.—
Leo Bertucci,
Louisville Courier Journal,
5 Feb. 2026
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The 28-year-old fills a void left by center Myles Turner, who departed Indiana in the offseason for a free-agent contract with Milwaukee.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The president flees these tradeoffs as a matter of course and flip-flops unpredictably when pressures rise.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
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During one game, Graham felt the pass rush and fled the pocket; Brown had ordered him to stay in it, no matter what.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The network previously confirmed that Guthrie would be exiting its Olympics coverage amid the search for her mother.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
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The intersection is controlled by stop signs, and many vehicles using the area are either getting onto southbound Highway 160 or exiting northbound Highway 160.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Carney ordered government buildings to fly flags at half-mast for the next week.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Feb. 2026
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Two airline sources said that airlines were given the impression that the closure was done out of an abundance of caution due to the FAA's inability to predict where drones might be flying.—
Brian Dakss,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As a politicized national fight over waste, fraud and abuse led by Republicans have targeted California and its Democratic leadership, Bonta and other state officials have moved swiftly to combat the claims.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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Moreover, the bottle had only ever moved between Burgundy and Bordeaux, a driving distance of roughly 300 miles.—
Pin Yen Tan 9 min ago,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Even under the best conditions, head cabbages are relatively slow growers, and early crops often bolt as soon as summer heat strikes, even if the plants aren't fully mature yet.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Feb. 2026
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Cherry and his group then bolted from the scene, fleeing north on State Street to Lake Street, and then east on Lake Street to Wabash Avenue, as dozens of panicked people began running for their lives, prosecutors said.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And the other function of music media is learning more, getting deeper into fandom, learning more about the lives of a lot of musicians, many of whom don’t necessarily need a magazine or music media to put their image out there for them.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
14 Feb. 2026
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This latest iteration, which builds on the 2024 version by adding a voter ID provision, must get 60 votes to pass.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bug out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bug%20out. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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