1
as in fled
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
the ground soldiers bugged out just before the start of the aerial bombing
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in departed
to leave a place often for another
the strange visitor bugged out without so much as saying a word
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugged out
Verb
-
Kneeland fled on foot, police reported.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025 -
Knapton is said to have then fired five more shots as the burglary suspects fled, then went back into his home, reloaded, and went back outside again.—
Darcie Moran,
Freep.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Trump quickly took to social media to claim the vessel had departed from Venezuela and had been carrying drugs.—
NPR,
NPR,
8 Nov. 2025
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In the same period in 2024, 1,652 CEOs departed.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Unsurprisngly, Meg White, who retreated from public life and hasn’t been heard from for over a decade, was a no-show.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
9 Nov. 2025
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People retreated in fear that more would come.—
Kim Lane Scheppele,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The New York Giants held a fourth-quarter lead on Sunday against the Chicago Bears but ultimately blew it after rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart exited the game with a concussion.—
Cole Sullivan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
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The driver, later identified as Sampson, continued to drive recklessly at high speed and exited the interstate and headed into downtown Ybor City.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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They are felt as they are composed, painfully, joyously, cellularly—and they are designed for other biological beings to experience, to connect with, to be animated, provoked and moved by.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Led by quarterback Tony Pike, the Bearcats moved quickly down the field, setting up a first down at Pitt’s 29-yard line with 33 seconds left.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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San Juan Hills bolted to a 6-0 lead in the third set and, with Hodges scoring on kills and blocks, went on to its 25-11 win to go ahead in sets 2-1.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
23 Oct. 2025
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In Van Horn, ninety miles southwest of Pecos, the shelter consisted of four outdoor cages bolted to a concrete pad.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Fans also got a small teaser poster, which has led to nearly a million views on the above post alone.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
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In December 2024, Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda the Good Witch in the Wicked films, got tearful when she was presented on The Drew Barrymore Show with one of the test wands used by Billie Burke, the original Glinda from 1939’s Oz.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Other businesses, including a nearby convention center, restaurant and Ford assembly plant, escaped the blaze.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
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The mailman paused, checking to see if anyone had noticed or knew the puppy had escaped.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Bugged out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugged%20out. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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