bolt

verb

Definition of boltnext
1
as in to fly
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening the rabbit bolted when it saw the fox approaching

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to jump
to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise) I bolted as I read the winning lottery numbers

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3
as in to race
to proceed or move quickly the cat bolted for the food dish the minute he spied it

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4
as in to exclaim
to utter with a sudden burst of strong feeling bolted out the cuss word without thinking

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5
as in to inhale
to swallow or eat greedily the way you bolted those hot dogs, it's no wonder you're feeling a little queasy

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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 bolt 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 On the very next play, Walker bolted 22 yards for a touchdown and 30-19 lead. — Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026 With third base open, Crews and Abrams bolted, and both slid in safely. — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 26 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bolt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bolt
  1. fly
  2. jump
  3. race
  4. exclaim
  5. inhale
  6. flee
  7. startle
  8. speed
Verb
  • Multiple flying insects throughout entire food service space.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Matthew Golden and Christian Watson can fly, and playing indoors gives them a chance to show it.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of fly
Verb
  • The latest push to end the practice began in June after an 18-year-old Indian tourist, Romanch Mahajan, died after jumping from a runaway carriage.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The bill was renamed in June after Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old tourist from India, died while jumping after his mother when their carriage horse bolted on a sightseeing tour in the park.
    — Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of jump
Verb
  • While an ordinary walk might leave her mind racing toward work, looking for a particular color gave it something else to do, effectively putting all that other mental chatter on mute.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Together, the symbols represent more than 280 years of racing history and state pride, officials say.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of race
Verb
  • Glasper exclaimed afterward, before jovially striking a pose onstage.
    — William E. Ketchum III, VIBE.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Caitlin Clark exclaimed, pretty much the millisecond her coach finished.
    — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of exclaim
Verb
  • Slice off a wedge of cornbread, then, and inhale the toasty steam that rises up.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Without a mask, without fear of needing lung implants, without having to worry about inhaling a soupçon of strychnine or similar industrial pollutants.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of inhale
Verb
  • Jaros and Rauh calculate that the state will lose money so long as 24 percent of the tax base flees, a condition that’s already been met.
    — Ramesh Ponnuru, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Some senators fled while others braced themselves inside the Senate chamber as Officer Eugene Goodman tried to reason with the mob, and Senate staffers barricaded themselves in offices, hiding.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of flee
Verb
  • Surveillance footage & evidence Police reviewed surveillance footage in the area, which showed the two gunshot victims walking, then appear startled, according to court records.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The parents admit to some corporal punishment, but of a mild sort—the kind that might startle a child but which wouldn’t do bodily harm.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of startle
Verb
  • Researchers have identified a new bacterial enzyme that speeds up the breakdown of polyesters and bioplastics.
    — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Several commissioners hope First & Early could speed up the project timeline.
    — Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of speed

Phrases Containing bolt

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bolsters
bolt
bolted
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Cite this Entry

“Bolt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bolt. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bolt

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