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
Relevance
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bug out
Verb
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With their press broken, Newcastle had to retreat to their 5-4-1 shape but became fatigued making so many recovery runs.—
Liam Tharme,
The Athletic,
16 Feb. 2025 -
The Trump administration is rapidly delivering wins to American companies by rolling back regulations, pausing investigations and retreating from lawsuits accusing employers of discrimination.—
Matthew Goldstein,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2025
Verb
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However, the director departed the film just over a year later, and the project remains in limbo.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2025
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Shoring up the left and right tackle spots are of the utmost priority for L.A., and Conerly would fit a plug-and-play role for a team that, should Jackson depart, needs a Day-1 starter at left tackle.—
Zac Jackson,
The Athletic,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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By the late 1970s, hundreds of thousands of refugees had fled the country by boat and overland, flooding into Hong Kong and Thailand.—
Thomas Doherty,
The Hollywood Reporter,
19 Feb. 2025
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The story follows Fang Di, who leaves home to become a stunt performer to clear family debts, and her cousin Tian Tian, who remains behind dealing with her father’s addiction before being forced to flee local mobsters.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The bullet had entered 65-year-old Sheryl Ferguson’s midsection, exited high on her back, passed through the chair behind her and lodged in the wall.—
Christopher Goffard,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2025
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Macario exited the match four minutes later, with an emotional Hayes embracing her for her own unforgettable moment.—
Melanie Anzidei,
The Athletic,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Its feathers confirmed its ability to fly, albeit not with the grace of modern birds.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
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The birds fly around the light, unable to extricate themselves.—
Anelise Chen,
The Atlantic,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
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On one of those days, Sue began asking Ken to move her to a care home.—
Jon Hamilton,
NPR,
26 Feb. 2025
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The dog named Vera was surrendered to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay when her owners moved.—
Liz O'Connell,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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After standing behind Hamilton for years, the first Wicked album bolted to No. 1 yet again on the Cast Albums ranking this past fall.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
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Four-star edge rusher Rico Walker, the top Maryland recruit in the 2023 cycle, bolted after one season and is at Auburn.—
Grace Raynor,
The Athletic,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
25 Feb. 2025
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The show’s participants will open for Urban, and the audience at each venue can determine which musicians get to stay on the tour.—
Abigail Lee,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Bug out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bug%20out. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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