bolt

1
as in to jump
to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise) I bolted as I read the winning lottery numbers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
3
4
as in to exclaim
to utter with a sudden burst of strong feeling bolted out the cuss word without thinking

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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 bolt In return, the shade cast by rising tomato plants can help provide some protective cover for the lettuce and stop it from bolting (flowering, which turns the leaves bitter and dry) during the heat of summer. Steve Bender, Southern Living, 29 June 2025 When police officers arrived and tried to help the boy, Monzo sprang from bushes nearby and bolted. Brian Melley, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025 Washington’s first trip to the Palouse since bolting the Pac-12. Week 5: Oregon at Penn State. Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 18 June 2025 In many businesses, these systems were bolted on over time, creating data silos and integration headaches. Mahesh Rajasekharan, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for bolt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bolt
Verb
  • In 2024, Wimbledon’s viewership in India jumped 176%, hitting 36.3 million across TV and digital.
    Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
  • At the county’s Downey shelter, the count jumped by roughly 50% over the same period.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • While nothing gets a marketer’s heart racing like the quixotic desire to overcome scarcity, the vanishing dollar demos should discourage this kind of self-defeating strategy.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 11 July 2025
  • The European Union is racing to plug a shortfall of as much as $19 billion in Ukraine’s 2026 annual budget.
    Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • Passengers flying in the United States at certain airports are no longer required to take off their shoes when going through security lines, according to news outlets including CBS News and The New York Times on Monday.
    Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
  • After his strike flew past U.S. goalkeeper Matt Freese, Jimenez briefly celebrated with his teammates before sitting on the turf at NRG Stadium, pulling out a Mexico jersey with Jota’s name and number (#20), and mimicking playing a video game.
    Martin Rogers, New York Times, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • Harold had exclaimed when the fetid, turquoise sea had at last come into view.
    Nicole Krauss, The Atlantic, 6 July 2025
  • There will be a lot of musical theater songs at the Royal Albert Hall, Scherzinger exclaims.
    Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 4 July 2025
Verb
  • Lime dries out lungs by drawing out moisture from skin and when it’s inhaled, according to the report.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 6 July 2025
  • In all its momentum, the show’s biggest obstacle appeared to be a moth, which Jenkins inhaled and choked on near the end of the show.
    jsonline.com, jsonline.com, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • Ionic technology, on the other hand, speeds up dry time and cuts frizz (especially helpful in humid weather) but can leave fine hair looking too sleek or limp if overused.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 5 July 2025
  • The film is projected to earn $24 million over the weekend and speed past $107 million by Sunday.
    Jack Dunn, Variety, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • In July 1987, flooding on the Guadalupe River in Kerr County forced hundreds of people to flee the area.
    Toria Sheffield, People.com, 12 July 2025
  • In June, the U.N. said, more than 147,000 people fled their homes in the central region, once a bastion of safety for those trying to escape the horrors of the capital.
    Jacqueline Charles July 11, Miami Herald, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • Most of those shouting questions at Tatis for 45 minutes were doing so in Spanish.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 July 2025
  • However, Ultraman is simple-minded and purely exists to follow Luthor's directions, down to the exact attack moves his handler shouts into his earpiece during fights.
    EW.com, EW.com, 14 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bolt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bolt. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on bolt

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!