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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Finish with a few light jumps, head into the shower, exfoliate, and finish with body oil.—
Gretta Monahan,
Boston Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
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Jamie Squire—Getty Images Instead, the surprise Olympic men’s champion is Mikhail Shaidorov from Kazakhstan, who landed five quad jumps to earn the gold—his country’s first in the event.—
Alice Park,
Time,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Annabelle Gordon | Reuters House and Senate Democrats on Wednesday laid out their demands for immigration enforcement reform as Congress races to avoid a shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security.—
Garrett Downs,
CNBC,
4 Feb. 2026
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When a quark races through plasma, an anti-quark should exist, travelling at precisely the same speed but in the opposite direction.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Published in 1842, Poe’s story follows Prince Prospero, who retreats with a group of nobles into a fortified abbey as a deadly plague ravages the countryside.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
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In the production, Hayes plays Elliott, a writer grappling with creative paralysis who retreats to a remote cabin, only to find the line between imagination and reality dangerously blurred.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Alexander, who famously played George Costanza on the nine-season-long Seinfeld, exclaims in the ad.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Feb. 2026
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Zamiri exclaims, momentarily losing his cool and nearly spilling his tea.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Starting with cake mix is a clever shortcut that not only speeds up the baking progress, but yields a cookie with an extra supple texture.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
9 Feb. 2026
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That speeds up the process and allows more patients to be seen in the same amount of time.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The drone then flies autonomously to its destination.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
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This policy flies in the face of the Constitution, legal precedent and Homeland Security's own guidelines.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The album’s Bandcamp blurb shouts out Ghédalia Tarzatès, the late French composer who collaged his wails and lamentations in the endangered Ladino language to evoke pangs of existential angst.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
6 Feb. 2026
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Yet there has been no panic internally, nor shouts from players or hierarchy to abandon the plan.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But in Washington, politics devours everything, even the sacred.—
Tara Palmeri,
Vanity Fair,
12 Jan. 2026
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Gratitude requires perspective, but perpetual outrage devours perspective.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bolts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bolts. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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