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
Relevance
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
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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
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
Verb
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Josh Rojas tried to sacrifice him over to third, but his bunt went straight back to Orze, who threw to second base too late to catch the retreating Tolbert.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
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Similarly, retreating glaciers that form the Greenland Ice Sheet carve new valleys and reshape the physical geography, which will likely bring new challenges for the land mammals.—
Staff Author,
Travel + Leisure,
1 June 2026
Verb
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In 2021, nine people died in a private plane crash after departing from Las Americas International Airport in the capital, Santo Domingo.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
-
This offer applies to new individual bookings made at standard rates on select sailings departing between now and May 10, 2028, excluding Celebrity river cruises, Galapagos sailings, and Alaska Cruisetours.—
Madison Flager,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Investigators said Kamara then exchanged gunfire with the second officer on scene before fleeing farther down the trail.—
Maggie Trovato,
Baltimore Sun,
9 June 2026
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The poetic horror drama follows a young mother fleeing a toxic relationship and reconnecting with her grandmother, who carries wounds of her own.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
9 June 2026
Verb
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The border officials will now track and record non-EU citizens entering and exiting the bloc.—
Simon Constable,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
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In Canoga Park, family, friends and residents gathered outside the apartment complex Sunday night where one woman was seen collapsing in tears after exiting an ambulance, according to reporting from KTLA News.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Arden, who wore a plaid jacket and laceless black sneakers, headed to the flying area.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
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According to the researchers, bumblebee behavior is not limited to flying around and diving belly deep into pollen.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Nippon Dynawave was cited for moving equipment involved before it could be inspected, but not for the incident itself, the news outlet reported.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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Remember, as little as 6 inches of moving water can knock you off your feet.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2026
Verb
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So, a bit of shade can prevent bolting and keep the soil cooler, extending their harvest and yielding tender, flavorful roots.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 May 2026
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You guys will normally read like 300-500 words before bolting.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Their bodies vary in color from light to dark gray, have rows of black or charcoal blotches running along them and have a reddish-brown stripe running down the middle of their backs.—
Sarah Perkel,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
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Photonics can be used in AI infrastructure by using light to move data between graphics processing units (GPUs), memory, networking chips, servers and data centers, instead of relying on electrical signals running along copper.—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bugging out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugging%20out. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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