as in to flee
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
when a fight broke out, we hightailed it out of the bar
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hightail (it)
Verb
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Villagers flee their homes near the Thai border in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province on July 25, 2025.—
Shane Croucher
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025 -
Yang’s deportation to Laos – a country her parents were forced to flee following US military intervention – underscores the sweeping and aggressive tactics Trump’s White House is using to expel immigrants.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
25 July 2025
Verb
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When decisions are made behind closed doors, individuals often retreat into silos as a protective measure.—
Sheila Rohra,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
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Trump retreated temporarily after his Liberation Day announcement triggered a rout in financial markets and suspended the reciprocal tariffs for 90 days to give countries a chance to negotiate.—
Paul Wiseman,
Fortune,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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And keep an eye out for the penguin — the airline's mascot as penguins don't fly and technically, neither does this particular plane — which appears like an easter egg throughout the space.—
Bahar Anooshahr,
AZCentral.com,
31 July 2025
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Toto flies backwards, slamming into Aunt Em’s open cedar chest.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
31 July 2025
Verb
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Without warning or notice the door opens and the bull bolted into the arena, throwing Horton around like a rag doll.—
Jon-Michael Banks,
Kansas City Star,
31 July 2025
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Former Seminole High quarterback Michael Clayton also decided to bolt for Edison.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 July 2025
Verb
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Angelo’s son, Joseph, ran the store and lived on the second floor until the 1970s.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
29 July 2025
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Now, billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy is running to replace Gov. Mike DeWine, who cannot run again because of term limits.—
Jessie Balmert,
The Enquirer,
28 July 2025
Verb
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If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Aug. 2025
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Playing their third road game in five days, the expansion team nearly fumbled a 17-point, first-half lead but got enough stops down the stretch to escape with a 68-67 win over the Washington Mystics on Thursday.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Yankees held a season-high seven-game lead in the division May 28, looking poised to run away with it through the summer.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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The Yankees once looked set to run away with the American League East, but now trail the Blue Jays by four games, entering play on Tuesday.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 July 2025
Verb
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Ben dominated the second match, running off 11 unanswered after going 0-6 down by essentially playing 2-on-1.—
Todd Boss,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
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The Sox added another four runs off Imanaga’s replacement, Chris Flexen, who started for their cursed 2024 team.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
26 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Hightail (it).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hightail%20%28it%29. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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