bolt

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈbōlt 

1

a

: a lightning stroke

also : thunderbolt

b

: a shaft or missile designed to be shot from a crossbow or catapult

especially : a short stout usually blunt-headed arrow

2

a

: a wood or metal bar or rod used to fasten a door

b

: the part of a lock that is shot or withdrawn by the key

3

: a metal rod or pin for fastening objects together that usually has a head at one end and a screw thread at the other and is secured by a nut

4

: a roll of cloth or wallpaper of specified length

5

: a metal cylinder that drives the cartridge into the chamber of a firearm, locks the breech, and usually contains the firing pin and extractor

6

a

: a block of timber to be sawed or cut

b

: a short round section of a log

Illustration of bolt

• bolt 3

bolt

2 of 5

verb (1)

bolted; bolting; bolts

intransitive verb

1

: to move suddenly or nervously : start

2

: to move or proceed rapidly : dash

3

a

: to break away from control or a set course

b

: to dart off or away : flee

4

: to break away from or oppose one's previous affiliation (as with a political party or sports team)

5

: to produce seed prematurely

transitive verb

1

: to secure with a bolt

bolt the door

2

: to attach or fasten with bolts

3

: to eat hastily or without chewing

bolted his breakfast

4

: to break away from or refuse to support (something, such as a political party)

5

: to say impulsively : blurt

6

a

: flush, start

bolt rabbits

b

archaic : shoot, discharge

bolt

3 of 5

adverb

1

: in an erect or straight-backed position : rigidly

sat bolt upright

2

archaic : directly, straight

bolt

4 of 5

noun (2)

: the act or an instance of bolting

bolt

5 of 5

verb (2)

bolted; bolting; bolts

transitive verb

1

: to sift usually through fine-meshed cloth

bolt flour

2

archaic : sift sense 2

Synonyms of bolt

Verb (1)

• jump
• startle

Examples of bolt in a Sentence

Verb (1)

I bolted as I read the winning lottery numbers

the cat bolted for the food dish the minute he spied it

the rabbit bolted when it saw the fox approaching

bolted out the cuss word without thinking

the way you bolted those hot dogs, it's no wonder you're feeling a little queasy

Adverb

She sat bolt upright, staring straight ahead.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Penn State researchers have proposed that the fury of a lightning bolt can be tamed, shrunk, and triggered on a lab bench inside a piece of acrylic no bigger than a deck of cards. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 Mar. 2026

With a scientific advisory board that includes the top experts in microbiome research and clinical science, Seed focuses on nuts-to-bolts testing and scientific evidence. —Brianna Peters, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2026

Verb

Then they’re bolted on with just enough torque to flex and hold fast, even in the most severe turbulence. —Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026

Plants are likely to grow too slowly to form good heads before bolting. —Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 27 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German bolz crossbow bolt, and perhaps to Lithuanian beldėti to beat

Verb (2)

Middle English bulten, from Anglo-French buleter, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle High German biuteln to sift, from biutel bag, from Old High German būtil

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Verb (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1577, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bolt

• bolt-action
• bolt from the blue
• bolt-hole
• bolt out of the blue
• dead bolt
• make a bolt for
• make a bolt for it
• shoot one's bolt
• sit bolt upright
• spring bolt
• toggle bolt

Rhymes for bolt

• boult
• colt
• jolt
• molt
• moult
• poult
• smolt
• volt
• volte
• kilovolt
• landolt
• raoult

Kids Definition

bolt

1 of 3 noun

ˈbōlt 

1

: a missile (as an arrow) for a crossbow or catapult

2

a

: a lightning stroke : thunderbolt

b

: a sudden surprise

a bolt from the blue

3

: a sliding bar used to fasten a door

4

: the part of a lock worked by a key

5

: a metal pin or rod usually with a head at one end and a screw thread at the other that is used to hold something in place

6

: a roll of cloth or wallpaper

7

: the device that closes the breech of a firearm

bolt

2 of 3 verb

1

: to move suddenly or nervously

2

: to move rapidly : dash

reporters bolted for the door

3

: run away sense 1

the horse shied and bolted

4

: to break away from or oppose one's political party

5

: to say thoughtlessly : blurt

6

: to fasten with a bolt

7

: to swallow hastily or without chewing

bolter noun

bolt

3 of 3 noun

: an act of bolting