as in to flee
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
when a fight broke out, we hightailed it out of the bar
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hightail (it)
Verb
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The sole occupant of the home was assaulted and tied up before the suspect stole several items from the home, including a vehicle, then used that vehicle to flee the scene, according to LeLacheur.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
30 Mar. 2026 -
All three suspects in the vehicle bailed and fled on foot, prompting assistance from both the Baltimore County Police Department and Baltimore City's Foxtrot.—
Andrew Adeolu,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The challenge is not to retreat from circulation, but to insist that circulation be thought through, grounded in specific places and their conditions, and accountable, open to friction, contamination, and transformation rather than insulated coherence.—
Manuela Moscoso,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
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The neighborhood/area Upscale with large avenues, grand villas, and plenty of greenery, Parioli’s the perfect place to retreat to after a day’s sightseeing.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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By then, red flags were already flying.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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The pair launched a fundraiser to pay for more helicopter flying hours and advanced search gear.—
Clare Fisher,
PEOPLE,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Their Orion capsule bolted out of orbit around Earth right on cue and chased after the moon to nearly 250,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) away.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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Mancini coached Italy to the European Championship title in 2021 then failed to get the Azzurri to the next year’s World Cup before bolting to take over Saudi Arabia’s national team.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Kansas City councilman Nathan Willett also filed to run for the seat after Graves’ announcement.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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Which is also super hazardous for someone in a massive suit running around [laughs].—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Fortunately, fire crews only had to focus on getting the fire out as the two families were able to escape on their own.—
Jessica Riley,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
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Chesney had escaped from an outside enclosure on March 25, after being frightened by some unknown barking dogs.—
Hannah Kirby,
jsonline.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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According to the police report, the mother was cornered and groped at her car with her children in the back seat before the man ran away.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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Vonbrandt ran away after dinner on an August night.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Clippers were run off the floor early by the team with the NBA’s worst record.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Center fielder Oneil Cruz botched consecutive plays in the first inning, helping the Mets score five runs off a surprisingly ineffective Skenes (0-1), matching his career high.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Hightail (it).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hightail%20%28it%29. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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