duck out
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 ofThey 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 wayHe 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
Gorajski flinched and ducked out of the way like Cisek was an incoming meteor.
—
Tony Baranek, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
On the other hand, some viewers might feel just the opposite — that the film ducks out of addressing white-hot topics such as trans women and girls in women’s sports or the studies that don’t support medical interventions for children under 18 and so on.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 20 Mar. 2026
Shaq ducked out quietly after the game and did not mingle or sign autographs, per his norm, seemingly leaving the moment for the seniors.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Boston, Orlando, Philadelphia and Phoenix were also among the teams to shed salary and duck out of the tax on a big week for supporters of the 2023 collective bargaining agreement.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 6 Feb. 2026
Kevin would sense, ‘This is a bad situation,’ and duck out.
—Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Then there’s the man doing the hugging, who, slower on the uptake, ducks out of view.
—Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2025
People would duck out all the time to the bar around the corner.
—Tom Freston, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2025
The three involved in the theft were seen carrying the ducks out in two separate trips and loading them into a truck before dropping them off at a friend's house.
—Wren Smetana, AZCentral.com, 6 Oct. 2025
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Tony Baranek, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
On the other hand, some viewers might feel just the opposite — that the film ducks out of addressing white-hot topics such as trans women and girls in women’s sports or the studies that don’t support medical interventions for children under 18 and so on.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 20 Mar. 2026
Shaq ducked out quietly after the game and did not mingle or sign autographs, per his norm, seemingly leaving the moment for the seniors.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Boston, Orlando, Philadelphia and Phoenix were also among the teams to shed salary and duck out of the tax on a big week for supporters of the 2023 collective bargaining agreement.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 6 Feb. 2026
Kevin would sense, ‘This is a bad situation,’ and duck out.
—Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Then there’s the man doing the hugging, who, slower on the uptake, ducks out of view.
—Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2025
People would duck out all the time to the bar around the corner.
—Tom Freston, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2025
The three involved in the theft were seen carrying the ducks out in two separate trips and loading them into a truck before dropping them off at a friend's house.
—Wren Smetana, AZCentral.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Duck out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/duck%20out. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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