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 final moments of the finale jumps eight years.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
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His 605-pound squat also jumps off the page.—
Jeff Sentell,
AJC.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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With the support of his wife Chiyoho (Yoshitaka), Murashige races to uncover the truth before the castle falls.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
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Some Senate races in what should be Republican strongholds are suddenly looking tighter that expected.—
Nancy Cook,
Bloomberg,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As tensions escalate into violence, Tina retreats into the basement, seeking refuge from the chaos above.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
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The unconscious Moon retreats through your 12th House of Peace, trining take-charge Saturn in your 4th House of Care along the way.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Apr. 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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This heat then speeds up the reactions, creating even more heat in a vicious cycle.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Apr. 2026
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In Michigan City along the lakefront, a new second track speeds up travel time to Chicago, and plans call for a $300 million luxury hotel and townhouse development to transform the city into a commuter and tourist destination.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The bee that flies alone gets swatted, or at least turned into a necklace at some rich lady’s garden party.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
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But, Wiseman stressed, the blame doesn't lie with the toilet itself, which is a more compact version of the loo that flies on the International Space Station.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Biff shouts at him at the show’s excruciating climax) sways between light and dark, between the road and the deadly shoulder, advancing through his last hours on earth as if through the stations of the cross.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
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Molina-Mulcahy additionally shouts out color as a major sunglasses trend for 2026.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
26 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 24 Apr. 2026.
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