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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The officer retreated and fired several shots, killing the dog and injuring its owner, who was trying to secure the animal, police said.—
Michael Guise,
CBS News,
18 June 2026 -
But retreating indoors can come at a cost.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
Verb
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The students are scheduled to depart next Wednesday.—
Tania Francois,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
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After Witt departed, the Royals continued to pile on runs against the Cardinals’ pitching staff.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Brianna, 29, and Kierianna, 26, fled the scene after the attack but were eventually arrested by police.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
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The Sheriff's Office charged him with fleeing and eluding and reckless driving, while FHP filed additional charges.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
Verb
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After driving on the 5 Freeway for nearly an hour, the suspect exited the freeway onto Lake Hughes Road near Castaic Lake.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
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This means that the tankers and cargo ships trapped in the Persian Gulf since March be able to exit, although shipping giants predict that the ships won’t actually pass through the Strait for some time.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
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And no team is going to break away from training camp to fly across the country to visit the White House.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
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Alana’s ideas don’t fly all the time.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Verb
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The pair moved to the parking lot, where several others became involved.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
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The Eastern Pacific remains a key corridor for narcotics trafficking, with criminal organizations frequently using small vessels to move drugs toward North America.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
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The series has developed a reputation for keeping children glued to the screen, as seen in videos that have gone viral on social media of babies bolting to the television upon hearing the marimba theme song.—
Iris Kwok,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
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When governance is built in instead of bolted on, AI initiatives move faster.—
Art Gilliland,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Unlike the movies, where directors get the glory, TV directors sit lower in the hierarchy, below creators, producers and actors.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
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After Diop broke up a pass into the box to Adams, McGinn got his foot on a cross to the right of Morocco’s net.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
20 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Bug out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bug%20out. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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