bug out

verb

Definition of bug outnext
1
as in to retreat
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 to depart
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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bug out
  1. retreat
  2. depart
  3. flee
  4. exit
  5. fly
  6. move
  7. bolt
  8. get
Verb
  • Without Carmella there as a potential wild card, the ladies arrive in Tokyo and are forced to retreat to their familiar shticks.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Kramatorsk has long served as a strategic rear point for the Ukrainian units serving along the eastern front – and as a place to which exhausted troops could retreat for a few days of rest before their next mission.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of retreat
Verb
  • Founders and designers Dean and Dan Caten had been leading the company since the exit in February 2024 of general manager Ennio Fontana, who departed after less than a year in the role.
    — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Offensive tackle Tyler Guyton (back) and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (quad) were also present at practice after departing in the fourth quarter of last week’s loss to the Buccaneers.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of depart
Verb
  • Bassam Abed said at least 10 residences housing some 300 families were reduced to rubble, and families were not given enough time to flee.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Other passengers included André Breton, Victor Serge, and Claude Lévi-Strauss—all fleeing the inferno.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of flee
Verb
  • Malhotra, one of India’s most experienced execs and producers, launched Abundantia back in 2013 after exiting a role as COO of Viacom18 Motion Pictures and a shorter spell leading Balaji Motion Pictures.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
  • That would give Temasek greater ability to adjust its investments as the industry evolves, compared with private assets that can be harder to exit quickly.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of exit
Verb
  • The film opens on a beach, with Selvi and her friends flying kites, before moving into domestic interiors where her world narrows.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The hurricane sent chairs flying and destroyed the restaurant’s canopy.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of fly
Verb
  • Rural areas account for nearly 40% of sales of fast-moving consumer goods, according to data from consultancy Nielsen Consumer.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Tinubu’s then-employers at Mobil Oil told investigators his treasurer role did not involve moving large sums and that the company never authorized him to hold its funds personally.
    — Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of move
Verb
  • Dyson built the CameraJet around 16 million lines of code and a model trained on 470,000 dental images, bolting a camera, pump, fluid system and software onto a device people have historically cleaned with nylon bristles.
    — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The move will bolt-on Outreach to a creators roster at The Team that includes Livvy Dunne, Taylen Biggs, Grant Horvat, The Bryan Bros, MatPat, Abby Baffoe and more.
    — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of bolt
Verb
  • As the day winds down, get cozy in the living room for a game of cards and a glass of South African wine, or watch the sun set from the stone terrace.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Each of the six main suspects get their chance to give their version of events on the day of Jodie’s death, effectively supplying their own alibis.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of get
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.

Browse Nearby Words

bug off
bug out
bugs
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Cite this Entry

“Bug out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bug%20out. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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