Synonyms of bolt

bolt

verb

1

as in to jump

to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise)

I bolted as I read the winning lottery numbers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• jump
• startle
• leap
• wince
• flinch
• cringe
• jerk
• recoil
• start
• twitch
• spring
• jolt
• spook
• bound
• react
• shrink
• quail
• blench
• respond
• squinch

2

as in to race

to proceed or move quickly

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• race
• speed
• rush
• fly
• hurry
• drive
• travel
• zip
• scurry
• trot
• jump
• dart
• chase
• run
• blow
• scoot
• buzz
• dash
• barrel
• ram
• tear
• scuttle
• motor
• step
• shoot
• blast
• rip
• belt
• bowl
• jet
• rocket
• breeze
• zoom
• crack (on)
• jog
• bundle
• hare
• hurl
• blaze
• course
• rustle
• whirl
• pelt
• highball
• whisk
• hie
• hurtle
• career
• hump
• hustle
• bomb
• beat it
• hasten
• get a move on
• make tracks
• nip
• gallop
• bustle
• careen
• step on it
• cannonball
• shake a leg
• hotfoot (it)
• beetle
• flit
• streak
• sprint
• stampede
• scamper
• accelerate
• step out
• scud
• whiz
• arrow
• outrun
• catch up
• quicken
• scuffle
• overtake
• outpace
• outstrip
• beeline
• fast-forward

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• creep
• drag
• crawl
• poke
• lag
• hang (around or out)
• poke
• linger
• tarry
• stroll
• lumber
• loiter
• dawdle
• saunter
• shuffle
• slow (down or up)
• amble
• decelerate
• plod
• dillydally
• dally

3

as in to fly

to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening

the rabbit bolted when it saw the fox approaching

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fly
• flee
• retreat
• run
• escape
• break
• run off
• run away
• beat a retreat
• turn tail
• bug out
• beat it
• skedaddle
• make tracks
• hightail (it)
• get (away)
• get out
• skip (out)
• light out
• scram
• clear out
• abscond
• decamp
• elope
• make off
• lam
• skirr
• scat
• scarper
• mizzle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• face
• confront
• dare
• beard
• defy
• remain
• stay
• dwell
• brave
• linger
• abide
• hang around
• stick around
• tarry

4

as in to exclaim

to utter with a sudden burst of strong feeling

bolted out the cuss word without thinking

Synonyms & Similar Words

• exclaim
• shout
• cry (out)
• roar
• ejaculate
• bellow
• blurt (out)
• blat
• leak
• interject
• holler
• howl
• whoop
• crow
• blunder
• hoot
• bleat
• yowl
• ooh
• aah

5

as in to inhale

to swallow or eat greedily

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• inhale
• devour
• wolf
• gulp
• scarf
• slop
• gobble
• raven
• cram
• scoff
• gorge
• glut
• ingurgitate
• gormandize
• pig out
• swill
• overeat

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pick
• peck
• nibble

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of bolt

His startup, Foundational Industries, just raised a $25 million seed round, Fortune learned exclusively, to build factories where AI runs the whole operation rather than bolting automation onto an old assembly line. — Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 30 July 2026

Romanch Mahajan, 18, was thrown from a carriage on June 17 after Samson, the horse pulling the carriage, bolted, collided with another carriage, and toppled over. — Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 30 July 2026

To save the cost and effort of pumping millions of liters of seawater solely to obtain minerals, the researchers propose bolting modular reactors onto coastal desalination plants, which already move enormous quantities of the stuff. — New Atlas, 27 July 2026

The internet did not unlock productivity until businesses rewired processes around digital workflows rather than bolting websites onto analog operations. — Nigel Vaz, Time, 20 July 2026

Phrases Containing bolt

• bolt from the blue
• bolt out of the blue