bugs out

verb

present tense third-person singular of bug out
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

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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 cuffed hemline can also be tightened as needed—a tiny detail that’s extra useful for keeping bugs out of your pant legs during outdoor adventures. — Kate Donovan, Southern Living, 11 July 2026 The gazebo also includes transparent panels designed to keep pesky bugs out without obstructing the breeze or your views. — Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026 Sealing cracks, maintaining your yard, and using insect barriers are the most effective ways to keep boxelder bugs out. — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugs out
  1. flies
  2. exits
  3. retreats
  4. departs
  5. flees
  6. moves
  7. bolts
  8. bugs off
Verb
  • When the group gets close to a nest, the mother duck usually flies off, giving everyone a chance to spot the eggs hidden in the cover crop.
    — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Back then, the company — which also flies the workhorse Electron small-satellite launcher — targeted a 2024 debut for the 141-foot-tall (42 meters) Neutron, which features a reusable first stage.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of flies
Verb
  • Afternoon temperatures will tumble from the lower 80s back into the 40s and 50s overnight with breezy winds, as the rain slowly exits during the overnight hours.
    — Cutter Martin, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Another customer who was standing in between the singer and employee at the register during the showdown appears to look around in disbelief at what just happened after the hitmaker exits.
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of exits
Verb
  • But even as the characters reflect at length on the virtue of putting themselves out there, their series too often retreats within itself instead.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Olivia Studio60, Womack Studios, Disney+ A celebrity TV weatherman retreats with his daughter to his estranged father’s olive groves, reopening old wounds.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of retreats
Verb
  • At the root of these changes is Dhillon's vision of the Civil Rights Division and its mission that dramatically departs from tradition.
    — Ryan Lucas, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The ending, which substantially departs from Malerman’s novel, offers a richer choice than the source material.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of departs
Verb
  • For example, if a bank robbery suspect flees in a vehicle and witnesses provide only a description, investigators can search the database for vehicles matching that description.
    — Gino Vicci, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The agent then flees into the titular pawn shop as a mob of protesters pursue him.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of flees
Verb
  • Frequent gusts of 30 to 40 mph are possible once the front moves through the Chesapeake Bay and inland eastern North Carolina.
    — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Other Panthers moves before Eagles Those aren’t the only moves the Panthers made Saturday.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of moves
Verb
  • Then, the unit bolts to the van, becoming a secure load that happens to contain a full living suite.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 20 Aug. 2026
  • When a company bolts AI on without building it into the way the company works, the company can end up paying a great deal of money for a capability its competitors already share.
    — Mohamed Khater, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of bolts
Verb
  • To keep pesky bugs off your skin, the pants feature a rope lock around the cuffs.
    — Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2026
  • Blast bugs off your house with the garden hose.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
Definition of bugs off

Browse Nearby Words

bugs off
bugs out
build
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Cite this Entry

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

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