1
2
as in races
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 retreats
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 exclaims
to utter with a sudden burst of strong feeling
bolted out the cuss word without thinking
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in inhales
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 bolts
With that in mind, here are a few free agent options who could fit the Yankees if Bellinger bolts.
—
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 Jan. 2026
The canine then bolts across the field and is immediately chased by one horse, with about five more joining in moments later.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
Parsley is a biennial that quickly bolts and dies the second year, and since second-year parsley is bitter, it’s typically grown as an annual.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2025
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 Jan. 2026
The canine then bolts across the field and is immediately chased by one horse, with about five more joining in moments later.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
Parsley is a biennial that quickly bolts and dies the second year, and since second-year parsley is bitter, it’s typically grown as an annual.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bolts
Verb
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The average 2-cent increase across the state on Monday is not the double-digit jumps over the past few weeks.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
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Their jump wings had the tiny inlaid gold stars denoting combat jumps.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Theron races through the forest and rafts through the rapids while Egerton follows her into caves and down the side of a cliff.—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
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Amazon plans to double its launch frequency and cram more satellites into each rocket as the company races to catch up with SpaceX’s Starlink.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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By Saturday night, geomagnetic activity weakens and retreats north, making aurora visibility in Iowa unlikely or very limited.—
Lucia Cheng,
Des Moines Register,
20 Mar. 2026
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After a painful breakup, college junior Blake Logan retreats to her family's lake house in Tahoe and meets Wyatt Graham.—
Jessica Moore,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Denard exclaims, using an emerging slur against robots and AI.—
Neda Ulaby,
NPR,
13 Mar. 2026
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Radcliffe exclaims in his London accent, walking hurriedly towards Liu and hugging her.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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However, the strikes usually come when the bait slows down or speeds up momentarily.—
Bryan Hendricks,
Arkansas Online,
29 Mar. 2026
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Guests pile into an elevator on Goat Island that speeds down to the base of the falls and deposits them by the Hurricane Deck and adjoining catwalk.—
Jamie Spain,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Banish flies from your home this spring with this easy-to-use insect trap.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
30 Mar. 2026
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Back at Mill Creek Park, amid a crowd of protesters taking a breather after the march, one demonstrator flies a kite.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Molina-Mulcahy additionally shouts out color as a major sunglasses trend for 2026.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
26 Mar. 2026
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Patientce Foster, her long-time creative director, shouts in approval.—
Jazmine Hughes,
Allure,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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From her experience, the grasshopper drawing attention in Arizona devours everything in its path, whereas the chapulín is tied to greener environments and specific crops, such as cornfields, alfalfa, and squash leaves.—
Nadia Cantú,
AZCentral.com,
25 Mar. 2026
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But May also routinely devours Tool, Nine Inch Nails, and jazz albums from Miles Davis.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bolts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bolts. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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