1
2
as in to race
to proceed or move quickly
the cat bolted for the food dish the minute he spied it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to fly
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
the rabbit bolted when it saw the fox approaching
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
5
as in to inhale
to swallow or eat greedily
the way you bolted those hot dogs, it's no wonder you're feeling a little queasy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bolt
Police swarmed in, and the people in the car bolted and were also on the loose in the surrounding neighborhood early Monday morning.
—
Kris Habermehl, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
According to other attendees, including Times journalists, event staffers were checking tickets, though not very thoroughly, at multiple points prior to escalators that descended to the metal detectors where Allen allegedly bolted past armed security.
—Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Her husband’s former colleagues had bolted a memorial plaque to him on the wall between the third and fourth reactor units.
—Lizzie Johnson, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
In 2003, a western lowland gorilla broke out of his enclosure at Franklin Park Zoo, bolted into the streets of Boston and injured a 2-year-old girl before being recaptured.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bolt
Kris Habermehl, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
According to other attendees, including Times journalists, event staffers were checking tickets, though not very thoroughly, at multiple points prior to escalators that descended to the metal detectors where Allen allegedly bolted past armed security.
—Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Her husband’s former colleagues had bolted a memorial plaque to him on the wall between the third and fourth reactor units.
—Lizzie Johnson, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
In 2003, a western lowland gorilla broke out of his enclosure at Franklin Park Zoo, bolted into the streets of Boston and injured a 2-year-old girl before being recaptured.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bolt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bolt
Verb
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All five girls jumped off the couch, stampeded toward the apartment door, and tumbled into the building’s stairwell, stepping on each other’s heels.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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The defensive spark plug somehow jumped higher than any Nuggets forward did for a rebound in Minneapolis last Thursday night, chest-thumping the glass at the top of his leap.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Whilst the Yangtze River Delta has become the nexus of full-stack, frontier generative AI models, Shenzhen is racing ahead as the powerhouse of China’s embodied AI and hardware efforts.—
Brian Wong,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
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Detmers was slow to get off the mound to cover first base, so Schanuel had to race Mauricio to the bag.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
3 May 2026
Verb
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The passenger's 69-year-old wife leaves and flies to South Africa.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
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Passengers were already paying more to fly – even before the industry lost the budget airline famous for pushing fares lower.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
Verb
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On a street by the harbor, crowds of people were squinting into the distance, exclaiming every time the whale exhaled.—
Jessica Camille Aguirre,
New Yorker,
2 May 2026
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Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully exclaimed.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Due to the processes that humidifiers use to vaporize water, all of those minerals can potentially wind up in the form of mineral dust, which quickly gathers on the surfaces of your room, or worse, it can be inhaled and cause respiratory problems.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
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There are no official animal exhibits along the walk, although there are small shelter areas for taking a seat, inhaling nature and feeling nostalgic.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Peafowl can also disturb landscaping and startle people with their piercing screams.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
21 Apr. 2026
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The gunfire startled sleeping guests at the Citizen Hotel, which included a wedding party and fans of the rapper Tyler the Creator, who performed at a concert hours earlier.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This includes multilane expressways where cars speed alongside, and in some cases above, the water.—
Pauline J. Yao,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
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While the Spurs also touted the NBA’s third-best offense this season, San Antonio’s ball handlers and shooters are capable of being sped up.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
2 May 2026
Verb
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One of the drivers involved fled the scene on foot before first-responders arrived, according to authorities.—
Austin Turner,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
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The driver fled, and deputies followed.—
Ciara McCarthy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bolt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bolt. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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