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bugging out

verb

present participle of bug out
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 departing
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 bugging out There’s a wonderful small moment midway through the season where Reilly’s lightly bugging out in his dingy apartment, shaking out his limbs at sharp, insectile angles to get comfortable. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 26 May 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugging out
  1. retreating
  2. departing
  3. fleeing
  4. exiting
  5. flying
  6. moving
  7. bolting
  8. running along
Verb
  • But Jewish security is not achieved by retreating from the rest of New York.
    — Mark Treyger, New York Daily News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The Himalayas are warming rapidly, glaciers are retreating and rainfall and snowfall patterns are shifting.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of retreating
Verb
  • Going analyzed its 2026 flight deal data to find the US airports that have offered the most affordable departing flights so far in 2026.
    — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Trains rumble behind the main stadiums, Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong, while planes approaching and departing from La Guardia Airport bring their stomach-churning roars.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of departing
Verb
  • During the 1980s, Los Angeles saw another influx of Latin American immigration, including Mexicans and Central Americans fleeing poverty and war.
    — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Following the incident, New Britain officials said witnesses reported seeing a vehicle fleeing the scene that was believed to possibly be involved.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of fleeing
Verb
  • The shortstop is day to day after exiting Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians with a left wrist bruise.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Jonathan Bowlan got two outs in the eighth before exiting due to right groin tightness with a 2-2 count on Francisco Lindor.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of exiting
Verb
  • The other seats are all chained to the table for when Carrie sends everything in the room flying.
    — Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026
  • In 1983, the 12m yacht Azzurra — flying the YCCS burgee — represented Italy for the first time in the long history of the America’s Cup, the oldest sports trophy in international sport, finishing third in the challenger series at its first attempt.
    — Andrew Rice, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of flying
Verb
  • Optical fiber, however, provides a practical path for moving information across long distances.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
  • This book doesn’t use that idea too much, but moving from room to room like that is in there for sure.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of moving
Verb
  • San Francisco is still bolting new pieces together, including fitting Mike Evans into the offense on the fly.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Involves engineering hurdles Building solar farms on open water involves far more engineering hurdles than bolting panels onto dry land.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of bolting
Verb
  • Warm water running over, the feel of the grains between my hands, the sound of it like stones running along the pavement.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
  • That money paid for the brick promenade now running along the Choptank River.
    — Josh Davis, Baltimore Sun, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of running along

Browse Nearby Words

bugging off
bugging out
buggy
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Cite this Entry

“Bugging out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugging%20out. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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