ENGLISH THESAURUS & DICTIONARY

bolt

noun · adverb · verb

Words like bolt

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57 words · noun, adverb, verbSort by

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Related words aren’t always interchangeable. Check the definition before you choose.

MEANING & USAGE

Definitions & examples

01noun

a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder

02noun

a sliding bar in a breech-loading firearm that ejects an empty cartridge and replaces it and closes the breech

03noun

the part of a lock that is engaged or withdrawn with a key

04noun

the act of moving with great haste

“he made a dash for the door”

12 more meanings

05noun

a roll of cloth or wallpaper of a definite length

06noun

a screw that screws into a nut to form a fastener

07noun

a sudden abandonment (as from a political party)

08adverb

in a rigid manner

“the body was rigidly erect”

“he sat bolt upright”

09adverb

directly

“he ran bang into the pole”

“ran slap into her”

10verb

move or jump suddenly

“She bolted from her seat”

11verb

secure or lock with a bolt

“bolt the door”

12verb

swallow hastily

13verb

run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along

“The thief made off with our silver”

“the accountant absconded with the cash from the safe”

14verb

leave suddenly and as if in a hurry

“The listeners bolted when he discussed his strange ideas”

“When she started to tell silly stories, I ran out”

15verb

eat hastily without proper chewing

“Don't bolt your food!”

16verb

make or roll into bolts

“bolt fabric”

Meanings and examples from Open English WordNet 2025. About our sources ↗

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Expressions with “bolt”

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Explore multiword dictionary entries containing this word. Each has its own meanings and related words.

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