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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One of the drivers involved fled the scene on foot before first-responders arrived, according to authorities.—
Austin Turner,
CBS News,
3 May 2026 -
The driver fled, and deputies followed.—
Ciara McCarthy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 May 2026
Verb
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The Wolves will retreat to their corner, bandage some wounds and aim to actually come out swinging Friday after cowering in the corner for the bulk of Game 2.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
7 May 2026
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As Elliot retreats from the devastating reality of his illness, father and daughter are forced to confront the unspoken truths between them.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
6 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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This is also why the nine licensed Kentucky sportsbooks—DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, bet365, Fanatics, theScore Bet, Circa, and Prime—cannot simply bolt horse racing onto their existing platforms.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
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Following the chaotic ending Lynch, as was his custom, bolted almost immediately from the stadium.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Knicks made life difficult for him in the halfcourt, and once that happened, Atlanta’s offense kept running into dead ends.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
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Funding to run the Orange Line 24 hours a day, one of the first major service improvements that acting CTA President Nora Leerhsen floated after lawmakers approved new transit funding last fall.—
Talia Soglin,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But, though the guns of war were a decade in the past, the nation had not escaped the spectre of conflict.—
Jelani Cobb,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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The show follows a couple who accidentally wander into Schmigadoon, a town where every day is a musical and the only bridge to escape leads to nowhere.—
Caroline Killilea,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
Verb
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The boy tried to run away but tripped and the beaver bit him on the upper thigh and continued to attack him.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
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After the crash, investigators said the unidentified driver of the vehicle tried to run away.—
CBS Miami Team,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
Verb
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The Giants took the lead at the start, scoring a first-inning run off Steven Matz.—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
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The driver then got out of the vehicle and ran off, but deputies gave chase.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
1 May 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 8 May. 2026.
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