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Glite Dictionary
to duck out

to duck out

17 7.2
To leave a place quickly and quietly to avoid something you should do
  • phrasal verb
  • /dʌk aʊt/
  • Informal
: escabullirse
  • I still can't believe Mark ducked out like that.
  • ducked out of the office
  • ducked out the door
  • ducked out of the room

Examples

  • With that, John ducked out of the room for a moment.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • How come I'm always the one who has to duck out of the office two hours early?

    Fiction book (1997)

  • I usually try and duck out of it, particularly in Scotland.

    Gosford Park (2001)

  • Then when he made it big, he tried to duck out of it.

    Angel Heart (1987)

  • It's important to duck out every once in a while and take a "sick day."

    Blog text (18)

  • And I'm not much good at this kind of thing, so I'm gonna duck out of here.

    The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

  • I was hoping you wouldn't mind if I ducked out early on Fridays... to pick up my kid from school.

    Hustlers (2019)

  • Rae picked up a paper sack of her things, shook hands with D.J., and ducked out the door.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • The crowd was quiet until May Anna ducked out the door and everybody cheered, me and Whippy Bird the loudest.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • She decided to duck out of the meeting because she had another appointment.

Synonyms

to get out of here
vsto duck out
  • Informal
∞ 3.0

Leave a place quickly or suddenly

is used when the leaving also avoids doing something one should do
to run away
vsto duck out
907 1.6

To leave secretly and quickly to get away from danger or control

differs by focusing more on avoiding duties or obligations rather than escape alone
to run out
vsto duck out
361 2.0

Leave a place suddenly, often to avoid someone or something

often implies also avoiding a responsibility rather than only fleeing quickly
to step out
vsto duck out
232 2.3

Leave a room or building briefly

is different because the key often implies secret leaving to avoid duties
to run away from
vsto duck out
  • Informal
206 2.9

To avoid dealing with a problem or responsibility

is closer when the leaving is secret rather than only refusal to face problems
to sneak out
vsto duck out
  • Informal
167 3.7

To leave a place quietly so no one notices you

often also means leaving to avoid a duty rather than just slipping away
to slip away
vsto duck out
55 3.4

To leave a place quietly without anyone noticing

is used when the leaving also avoids a duty or task
to skip
vsto duck out
  • Informal
48 3.7

To leave a place quickly and secretly to avoid trouble

is used similarly but often stresses avoiding obligations rather than only escape
to sneak off
vsto duck out
  • Informal
35 4.0

Leave a place quietly so others do not notice

is similar but often adds the idea of dodging responsibility
to skip town
vsto duck out
  • Informal
32 8.1

Leave a place suddenly and secretly to avoid trouble or debt

is close but also applies more to avoiding a duty or task
to slip out
vsto duck out
31 3.8

To leave a place quietly without anyone noticing

often also suggests avoiding something one should do rather than brief leaving
to slink
vsto duck out
26 6.7

To move quietly and carefully to avoid being seen

is contrasted by its use to avoid responsibilities when leaving secretly
to fled the scene
vsto duck out
25 4.4

Leave a place quickly to avoid being caught after causing or seeing trouble

is similar but can also imply avoiding nonlegal duties or tasks
to sneak away
vsto duck out
  • Informal
21 3.6

To leave a place quietly without being noticed

often implies avoiding an obligation rather than only leaving unnoticed
to steal away
vsto duck out
20 6.3

To leave a meeting or party quietly so no one notices

often carries added sense of dodging obligations rather than mere secrecy
to run out of town
vsto duck out
19 6.6

Leave a place quickly because people are angry or you are in trouble

is similar but can also mean leaving to avoid responsibilities or duties
to get out of Dodge
vsto duck out
  • Informal
18 9.2

Leave a place quickly to avoid trouble or danger

often carries added meaning of dodging a duty rather than only fleeing
to hightail it
vsto duck out
  • Informal
17 8.4

To leave a place quickly to avoid trouble or danger

is similar but also used when the leaving avoids a required task
to weasel out
vsto duck out
  • Informal
11 8.2

To avoid doing something you should do by being dishonest or tricky

is different because it focuses on secret physical leaving more than trickery
to bug-out
vsto duck out
  • Slang
7 8.2

To leave a place quickly to escape danger

differs by also covering leaving to avoid doing required tasks
to make tracks
vsto duck out
  • Informal
6 7.2

Leave quickly to go somewhere or to avoid trouble

is similar but often emphasises avoiding a duty rather than mere speed
to take a powder
vsto duck out
  • Archaic
5 9.9

To leave a place suddenly without telling anyone to avoid trouble

often implies leaving to dodge an obligation rather than only vanishing
to rush away
vsto duck out
4 2.5

Leave a place quickly because you are in a hurry

differs by often implying secret avoidance of duties rather than plain hurry
to decamp
vsto duck out
4 8.5

To leave a place quickly and secretly to avoid being caught

adds regular use for avoiding responsibilities rather than only escaping notice
to pussy out
vsto duck out
  • Offensive
4 9.9

To back out of something because you feel afraid

is about secretly leaving or avoiding duty without necessarily implying shameful fear
to blow town
vsto duck out
  • Informal
4 9.8

To leave a place quickly to avoid trouble

is used when that departure also serves to dodge responsibilities
to fly the coop
vsto duck out
  • Informal
4 7.9

To leave a place suddenly without permission

is used similarly but often for avoiding duties rather than just escaping
to pop out
vsto duck out
  • Informal
3 3.2

To leave a place for a short time to do something

is used instead when the leaving is secret and avoids responsibilities
to beat a retreat
vsto duck out
3 6.0

To leave a place quickly to avoid danger or trouble

is used when the leaving also dodges responsibilities rather than only retreating
to dip out
vsto duck out
  • Informal
2 9.1

To leave a place quietly or suddenly without telling others

matches this but also commonly highlights secret avoidance of duties
to blow this popsicle stand
vsto duck out
  • Informal
2 9.9

To leave a place quickly because you do not want to be there

is closer when the leaving also hides avoidance of a duty
to duck off
vsto duck out
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To leave quickly and quietly or tell someone rudely to go away

adds that it often involves avoiding a duty rather than just leaving
to skidoo
vsto duck out
  • Archaic
1 9.1

To leave quickly to avoid trouble or attention

is similar but often adds the idea of escaping duties or responsibilities
to sidle away
vsto duck out
1 7.7

To move quietly to the side and away so people do not notice you

is used when that quiet move also avoids doing something required
to absquatulate
vsto duck out
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To leave a place quickly and secretly, often taking things or someone

is similar but also focuses on avoiding a duty or commitment
to go offski
vsto duck out
  • Slang
9.9

To leave a place suddenly, usually to go somewhere else

is used more for secret departures that avoid doing required tasks
to go on the mitch
vsto duck out
  • Slang
9.9

To leave work or school suddenly to have secret fun instead of doing duties

is similar but often stresses avoiding duties rather than just private fun

Antonyms

to face
∞ 2.2

To deal with a difficult situation or person

to stay put
  • Informal
126 2.0

Remain in the same place without moving

How Secretly

to slip out
31 3.8
to sneak out
  • Informal
167 3.7
to duck out
  • Informal
17 7.2

Surface Forms

duck out infinitive
ducked out past
ducked out past participle
ducking out present participle
ducks out third person singular

Morphology

duck + out

The sense 'to leave quickly/secretly or avoid doing something' follows directly from combining 'duck' (to avoid) with 'out' (away), so the overall meaning is predictable from the constituents. This verb+particle pattern is a standard, compositional phrasal-verb formation in English, so a B1 learner who knows both words should be able to infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Duck out comes from the image of a person quickly bending down like a duck and slipping out through a door or away from a room to avoid being seen. That's why it now means 'to leave a place quickly and secretly' or 'to avoid doing something you should do'.