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
Relevance
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
Kate Aurthur, Variety, 21 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugged out
Verb
-
According to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, Semrade fled the station immediately after the attack, leaving Ozsoy critically injured on the platform.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
-
After shooting Ligdis in the head, Kendall fled the area, leaving his son behind with his dying mother.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
More than 100 people aboard a cruise ship that departed from Fort Lauderdale last month have fallen ill from norovirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
9 May 2026
-
After walking into the training shed midway through practice, Hutchins departed the practice field.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Frank Sinatra entertained at his Twin Palms estate; Marilyn Monroe retreated here between films, and Elvis and Priscilla Presley honeymooned in an A-frame hideaway steps from downtown.—
Christina Pérez,
Vogue,
8 May 2026
-
After 20 minutes or so, the protesters retreated.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
That's when Hill exited the courtroom and announced his intention to head to Orlando for some R&R at Disney.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
-
The suspect exited the 105 Freeway in Inglewood and cut through oncoming traffic after blowing through a red light.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
While the chipmaker — and the world's most valuable company — continues to prosper and is expected to show revenue growth of 70% this fiscal year, Wall Street has moved elsewhere, piling into businesses that were hardly visible in the initial years of the artificial intelligence buildout.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
8 May 2026
-
Researchers tested the system in a maze-navigation experiment where the robot moved autonomously without cameras.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Though how Kiffin bolted Ole Miss for LSU, walking out when his team was on the verge of competing for a national championship, seemed to epitomize the larger tensions.—
Chris Smith,
Vanity Fair,
11 May 2026
-
Surveillance video shows the pair tried to steal the ATM, which is bolted to the floor inside, before giving up.—
Tara Molina,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Tom Brady, who was the victim of Netflix’s last celebrity roast in 2024, made a surprise appearance at Kevin Hart’s roast Sunday to launch a few jokes at the comedian before the night got underway.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
11 May 2026
-
Mateusz Bogusz got a second chance to score in the 51st minute, using his left foot to find the net for the second time for a 3-1 lead.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Last night, the Knicks barely escaped over the 76ers, and the Spurs blew out the Timberwolves.—
David Troy,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
-
In another case, a female monkey escaped her cage due to a welding failure, according to the inspection report.—
Corey Schmidt,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bugged out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugged%20out. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
