1
as in retreating
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 exiting
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
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Recent Examples of bugging out
Her baby's father answered the door with his eyes bugging out, and Frierson barged in to find two other guys, needles, spoons and powder on the table.
—
Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugging out
Verb
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Later, half of them mime shooting the others, who are retreating with their hands up.—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
29 Sep. 2025
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Mike Bailey delivered a superkick to Dax Harwood, and Kevin Knight hit Cash Wheeler with a dropkick, sending FTR and Stokely retreating and ending the chaotic confrontation.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This includes initiations of Nike , Cisco Systems , and Boeing, while exiting Coterra Energy altogether.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
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Last week came news that Pam Kaufman is exiting as Paramount’s president and CEO of international markets, global consumer products and experiences.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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China began conducting the contentious patrols after a February 2024 accident in which two Chinese fishermen drowned near Kinmen while fleeing from Taiwan’s coast guard.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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About 10 minutes later, a suspect drove onto the grass near 14 Mile and Van Dyke and struck two pedestrians before fleeing the scene.—
Natalie Davies,
Freep.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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On September 24, Judge Smith permanently enjoined DHS from enforcing broad new immigration compliance conditions on a wide range of preparedness grants, ruling the agency had exceeded its statutory authority and failed to justify departing from longstanding grant practices.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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The local controller was distracted, the report said, talking to another air traffic control facility about the wrong altitude assigned to a different departing aircraft.—
Aaron Cooper,
CNN Money,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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What To Know Schleswig-Holstein's interior minster, Sabine Sütterlin-Waack, confirmed that drones were seen flying above the coastal state just south of Denmark overnight into Friday, September 26, and that the incident is under investigation for potential sabotage or espionage.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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The shutdown means the Fed will be partially flying blind with investors expecting the central bank's second rate cut of the year later this month and another decrease in December.—
Sean Conlon,Pia Singh,
CNBC,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Hurts then hit Jahan Dotson for 24 yards, moving the Eagles to the Denver 29-yard line with nine seconds left.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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In a positive sign, Nunoo was moving his hands and fingers, according to Sutton.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Cool-season planting keeps parsley from bolting, or going to seed quickly.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
2 Oct. 2025
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Only this time, the quarterback exploded through the line, followed a crushing lead block by Skattebo and bolting into the end zone.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Seated front row, the star turned heads in a sheer bodysuit featuring an iridescent brown and yellow print, paired with matching pants adorned with coordinating fabric details and cut-outs running along the legs.—
Essence,
Essence,
29 Sep. 2025
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Perf means the perforations running along the film strip as it is pulled through the projector, and generally the higher the amount of perforations, the higher-quality the image.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bugging out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugging%20out. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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