duck out

phrasal verb

ducked out; ducking out; ducks out
informal
: to leave suddenly and usually without telling anyone that one is leaving
We ducked out after the first act of the play.
often + on or of
They ducked out on us without even saying goodbye.
I had to duck out of the meeting to take a phone call.
often used figuratively and in a sneaky or improper way
He wants to duck out of the contract.
She ducked out on paying the bill for the meal.

Examples of duck out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Like deer caught in a headlight, Byron promptly ducked out of frame, while Cabot covered her face and turned her back on the camera. EW.com, 19 Aug. 2025 After a brief fight, Mora Nunez fires a shot, hitting the officer in the face, and appears to duck out of view by a bush while the officer aims his own weapon. Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 25 July 2025 Byron was seen hugging Cabot from behind when the kiss cam focused on the two, prompting Byron to duck out of frame and Cabot to turn her back to the camera. Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025 The woman turned her back from the camera, while the man ducked out of view behind a glass barrier. Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 22 July 2025 When the camera landed on a blond woman and a silver-haired man — later believed by social media users to be Byron — the woman covered her face and the man ducked out of the frame. Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 19 July 2025 Her only friend is her childhood pal Betsy (Anna Camp, trying her best), and even that connection has grown distant thanks to Sam’s habit of suddenly and inexplicably going AWOL — as demonstrated in an opening scene where Sam ducks out of Betsy’s bachelorette party for an urgent mission. Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Duck out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/duck%20out. Accessed 6 Sep. 2025.

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