as in rushing
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in jumping
to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise)
I bolted as I read the winning lottery numbers
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in racing
to proceed or move quickly
the cat bolted for the food dish the minute he spied it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in retreating
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
the rabbit bolted when it saw the fox approaching
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in exclaiming
to utter with a sudden burst of strong feeling
bolted out the cuss word without thinking
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in inhaling
to swallow or eat greedily
the way you bolted those hot dogs, it's no wonder you're feeling a little queasy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bolting
Amy Kunst, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2026
None bigger than the bombshell on April 28 that this OPEC stalwart for nearly 60 years is bolting.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
To avoid bolting, plant spinach four to six weeks before the last frost in your region, or plant in late summer for a fall harvest.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 29 Apr. 2026
In fact, partial shade can help delay bolting (flowering) of this cool-season crop.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2026
While staff were momentarily stunned by the sheer volume of the steal, the suspect took advantage of the distraction, untangling himself from the struggle and bolting for the exit before police could arrive.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Traditional federated identity approaches weren’t designed for this, and bolting them onto multi-agent architectures creates exactly the kind of implicit trust that security teams should be working to eliminate.
—Huzefa Olia, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Mancini coached Italy to the European Championship title in 2021 then failed to get the Azzurri to the next year’s World Cup before bolting to take over Saudi Arabia’s national team.
—ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
That was, until September 2024 when Gunner was sunbathing outside and suddenly spotted a bunny, bolting after it immediately.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
The trick is integrating them during the remodel, rather than bolting them on after a fall.
—Amy Kunst, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2026
None bigger than the bombshell on April 28 that this OPEC stalwart for nearly 60 years is bolting.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
To avoid bolting, plant spinach four to six weeks before the last frost in your region, or plant in late summer for a fall harvest.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 29 Apr. 2026
In fact, partial shade can help delay bolting (flowering) of this cool-season crop.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2026
While staff were momentarily stunned by the sheer volume of the steal, the suspect took advantage of the distraction, untangling himself from the struggle and bolting for the exit before police could arrive.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Traditional federated identity approaches weren’t designed for this, and bolting them onto multi-agent architectures creates exactly the kind of implicit trust that security teams should be working to eliminate.
—Huzefa Olia, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Mancini coached Italy to the European Championship title in 2021 then failed to get the Azzurri to the next year’s World Cup before bolting to take over Saudi Arabia’s national team.
—ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
That was, until September 2024 when Gunner was sunbathing outside and suddenly spotted a bunny, bolting after it immediately.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bolting
Verb
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The Crusaders wasted no time jumping ahead, scoring two runs in the first inning without a hit.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 May 2026
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Relive your days of jumping off rope swings amid stands of cypress trees in Texas Hill Country, or simply enjoy a refreshing dip after a hike in New Hampshire's White Mountains.—
Talia Avakian,
Travel + Leisure,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Both companies are racing for the public market, with SpaceX expected to disclose its prospectus as soon as this week, ahead of what could be a record offering next month.—
Ashley Capoot,Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
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The company is racing to have Starship ready for next year’s revamped Artemis III mission, which calls for Starship’s upper stage to rendezvous with NASA’s Orion capsule — the same vehicle that carried the Artemis II astronauts around the moon last month — while orbiting Earth.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
17 May 2026
Verb
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When hunger calls, head to Osteria del Sotto Sale for fresh seafood and pasta before retreating to Dimora dell'Olivastro, a tranquil guesthouse set among olive groves.—
Nicky Swallow,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
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And the country’s disconnection from the regime comes as Putin has removed himself from public life, literally retreating into a bunker.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
Verb
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On a street by the harbor, crowds of people were squinting into the distance, exclaiming every time the whale exhaled.—
Jessica Camille Aguirre,
New Yorker,
2 May 2026
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Residovic is heard exclaiming in the footage.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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People typically become infected with the virus by inhaling microscopic particles from these rodents' urine, feces or saliva, according to Stanford Health.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
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Social media trends are fueling a dangerous form of substance use among teenagers in the United States involving common household and commercial products, including inhaling nitrous oxide, or laughing gas.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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Now, a new study suggests researchers may have found the first drug regimen capable of rapid and sustaining relief from suicidal thoughts across a broad group of patients.—
Ariana Eunjung Cha,
Washington Post,
19 May 2026
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Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, the deputy secretary-general, said that given the high level of movement of people and goods across the region, coordinated preparedness and rapid information sharing are essential to preventing cross-border transmission.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Set over the course of eight years (including the lockdown period during COVID), Herry’s film unfolds fluidly, neither hurrying scenes up unnecessarily, nor lingering too long on any incident.—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
17 May 2026
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No point hurrying toward a resolution that was always receding.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Castro, 94, and his brother, Fidel Castro, were accused of ordering the Cuban air force to shoot down two civilian planes that belonged to the Brothers nonprofit group, which carried out rescue missions to save Cubans fleeing their homeland.—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
19 May 2026
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Ricardo Navarrete brought his love of soccer from Colombia to Chicago in 2022, after fleeing his native country with his mom Liliana.—
Charlie De Mar,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bolting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bolting. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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