1
as in flies
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 exits
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 bugs out
The clear lids have a tight seal that locks the temperature in and keeps the fire ants and love bugs out.
—
Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2025
Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugs out
Verb
-
All six passengers and crew onboard the Family Boat, which flies the Portuguese flag, were reported safe and unharmed.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Even in the Midwest, Nebraska flies blissfully under the radar of most tourists' radars.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Michael Douglas is pictured with his lookalike son, Cameron Douglas, as the pair exits The Drew Barrymore Show in New York City.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Planned exits from low-margin businesses and a temporary plant closure also impacted sales.—
Joe Cornell,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The controversy may also have inspired Colleen Hoover's upcoming novel, about a writer who retreats after online backlash about a film adaptation.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Their summer break included a visit to Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where the royal family traditionally retreats in August.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Prince Harry departs after visiting the Centre For Blast Injury Studies at Imperial College London, in England, on September 10, 2025.—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Ivacic departs the Revolution after two seasons and 49 regular-season starts, with 12 clean sheets to his credit.—
Boston Herald staff,
Boston Herald,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
By the end of the freshman season, Jackie flees back to New York to clear her head.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Pascal would star as a corrupt cop who flees 1930s Los Angeles for Mexico with his lover, played by Danny Ramirez.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The job market moves quickly, and preparation is your competitive advantage.—
Johnny C. Taylor Jr,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The all-new Habiton lives and sleeps larger than its footprint thanks an entire room that actually moves back and forth.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Blast bugs off your house with the garden hose.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Windows 11 Pro is engineered to work with your PC—not against it—so your system finally runs like the powerhouse it was built to be.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
14 Sep. 2025
-
There is also, generally speaking, universal admission that boy, this game sure runs terribly on PC, leading to a huge number of negative Steam reviews, causing the game to be Mixed there.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bugs out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugs%20out. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share