bugged out

verb

past tense of bug out
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bugged out Matt, your eyes just really bugged out! — Kate Aurthur, Variety, 21 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugged out
  1. fled
  2. departed
  3. retreated
  4. exited
  5. bolted
  6. moved
  7. escaped
  8. got
Verb
  • To win over Hispanic voters who fled regimes in countries like Cuba and Venezuela, the GOP has tapped into fears of a socialist takeover, fueled by the rise of increasingly progressive Democratic candidates.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Many of them fled to the south to escape famine and economic hardship.
    — Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of fled
Verb
  • The show lasted for six seasons, with its finale on April 24, 1977, but Saint James had departed early over a contract dispute.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2026
  • That would be Anthony Vaccarello, who departed Saint Laurent earlier this month after a decade as creative director.
    — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of departed
Verb
  • As the Laurentide retreated across the plateau, tundra plants colonized the newly bare ground.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Oct. 2026
  • As the world has become more and more connected, governments have retreated from global problems.
    — David Miliband, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of retreated
Verb
  • Oxygen entered these suits through ports on the waist and exited through the helmet.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The frustration spilled over for Aaron Gordon in the fourth quarter when he was assessed a double-technical and exited the court.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of exited
Verb
  • Explainability belongs in the same place, written into the design document from day one, next to the accuracy targets rather than bolted on before an audit.
    — Aritra Pal, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Within five minutes, the curtain was flung back again and one of the medical students bolted out of the department in a panic.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of bolted
Verb
  • In the aftermath, Blue Origin has moved with uncharacteristic speed to repair its launch pad to get New Glenn flying again, while investing $3 billion in Florida facilities to support a much higher launch cadence.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Kelce also moved past Marvin Harrison and Cris Carter on the all-time receptions list.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of moved
Verb
  • Concerns mounted in July, when OpenAI disclosed that two of its models escaped containment, accessed the open internet and breached a company called Hugging Face.
    — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
  • So far, these productions have largely escaped disruption, but the riots have rattled film crews and prompted warnings from Hollywood studios’ security departments.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of escaped
Verb
  • When this 2008 institution from Elmhurst, Queens opened an outpost within Manhattan’s Chelsea Market, even more New Yorkers got access to its exceptional, home-style Thai cooking.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The Hurricanes never got closer than six points the rest of the night.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of got

Browse Nearby Words

bugged off
bugged out
bugger
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Cite this Entry

“Bugged out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugged%20out. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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