BUGS OUT Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

bugs out

verb

present tense third-person singular of bug out

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

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

Verb

Meanwhile, a team quietly burning tokens on work that moves nothing flies under the radar.

— Vinay Kuruvila, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
About 200 of those flights are handled by Mercy Air, a for-profit service that flies patients and bills their insurers for the costs.

— Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of flies

Verb

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick confirmed some summer exits Marc Casado and Roony Bardghji were last minute cuts from the group that travelled to Italy, which was reportedly a surprise to the players themselves.

— Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Recruitment staff were made aware before last season ended that exits were required to raise funds to sign new players.

— Megan Feringa, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of exits

Verb

Start with energy markets and the fear of disruption to oil and gas exports if the United States retreats.

— Michael Fuchs, Foreign Affairs, 6 Aug. 2026
Their late summer adventures will likely take them to their country home, Anmer Hall, as well as to Balmoral, where the royal family retreats en masse as summer begins to turn into fall.

— Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 29 July 2026

Definition of retreats

Verb

The new Montezooma coaster train departs from a rethemed station that has been reimagined as an architectural cousin of the Mayan stone temple housing the Jaguar coaster next door.

— Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 6 Aug. 2026
New York City Kick off your journey in New York City, where the Empire Service departs from Moynihan Train Hall in the heart of Midtown Manhattan.

— Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of departs

Verb

Pitch a idea for a team huddle, and let your expressive style set a cooperative tone that moves decisions forward.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2026
The judge’s order paused the rollout of the surcharge on high-value second homes in the city while a lawsuit brought by a group of homeowners moves forward.

— Katherine Koretski, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of moves

Verb

This episode, Zack wakes up and bolts upright with the bandage still on his head from getting clobbered with a sign on his birthday and can’t remember what happened the night before.

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 9 July 2026
When spinach bolts, the plant focuses its energy on producing flowers and seeds rather than leaves.

— Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 29 Apr. 2026

Definition of bolts

Browse Nearby Words

bugs off

bugs out

build

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bugs out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugs%20out. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of bugs out

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

salvo

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes