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
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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
-
The film, which is a sequel to the classic 1990 Christmas movie, follows the young and spirited Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), who mistakenly gets on a plane headed for New York City while the rest of the family flies to Florida.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Oct. 2025
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That said, both Painter and Brown said the airport video likely flies in the face of appropriations law.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Once river water enters the top of the lake, its slower-moving waters allow silts and other particles to drop to the bottom, and the water that exits the lake and flows further down the river is cleaner.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
14 Oct. 2025
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In 2024, high-profile exits at firms like Lamb Weston and Kohl’s occurred amid mounting pressure, while at Boeing, Nike, Stellantis, and Hertz, CEOs departed before an active campaign ever materialized.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Wilks retreats to the front of his vehicle before briefly emerging and the officer then lets off a second round of gunfire.—
Drake Bentley,
jsonline.com,
13 Oct. 2025
-
This allows Kerkez to operate higher up the pitch, while Szoboszlai retreats to give Konate a passing option.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Shortly after the yacht departs, Lo, who is staying in cabin 8, enters cabin 10, which is directly next to hers.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
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Oversize bags must still be checked in before a flight departs.—
News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Players take on the role of Enzo Favaro, a miner who survives a tunnel collapse and flees the pit after insubordinately attacking a cruel underboss.—
Gieson Cacho,
Mercury News,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Blazy gives Odhiang a deep hug, jogs around the runway, and flees toward the exit, smiling.—
Nathan Heller,
Vogue,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
14 Oct. 2025
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This design is lighter than traditional night vision systems and places the weight in a way that moves with the soldier.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Parsley is a biennial that quickly bolts and dies the second year, and since second-year parsley is bitter, it’s typically grown as an annual.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Blast bugs off your house with the garden hose.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
23 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bugs out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugs%20out. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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