What Does "Dodge a Bullet" Mean?

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You’re not a soldier, spy, or criminal, so why do people keep saying you “dodged a bullet”? Is it good or bad to “dodge a bullet”? It can be hard to figure out what this tricky English expression means, but we’ve got you covered! Keep reading for an explanation of the phrase, ways to use “dodge a bullet”, and related phrases!

Section 1 of 3:

What does it mean to “dodge a bullet”?

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    [1] This is an informal idiom that you might use after you’ve narrowly avoided an injury or accident to express relief. It’s a positive thing if someone says you’ve “dodged a bullet”!
    • This expression was first used literally in the early 20th century to describe someone who had avoided being shot in combat. The phrase took on a non-literal meaning in the second half of the 20th century. [2]
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Section 2 of 3:

Ways to Use “Dodge a Bullet”

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    If you’ve snuck out of the house and came back just in time so your mom wouldn’t know, you could say you “dodged a bullet”. The unwanted event you escaped was your mom finding out and being upset with you.
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    Say while doing a new skateboard trick, you fall on your arm and have to be taken to the hospital. The doctor might tell you you’ve “dodged a bullet” if the x-ray shows you didn’t break your arm.
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    If the new person you’ve been seeing recently suddenly breaks up with you, but your friend later tells you they’re a serial cheater, you might say you “dodged a bullet”. The unwelcome situation you avoided is continuing a relationship with a cheater.
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Section 3 of 3:

Related Phrases

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    If something is a “close call” it means the unwelcome situation almost happened, but didn’t. The expressions “close call” and “dodge a bullet” will often be used interchangeably, or together because they mean the same thing. If your friend says you’ve “dodged a bullet,” you might reply “Oh yeah, that was a close call.” [3]
    • Your friend: “On the way to work, a car ran a red light and almost hit me! They braked just in time.”
    • You: “Oh my gosh, what a close call!”
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    To “narrowly escape” is to have barely avoided a dangerous situation. This expression is very similar to “close call” and is another phrase you might hear said with, or in place of, “dodge a bullet”. [4]
    • You: “I almost tripped down the stairs, but I caught myself on the railing.”
    • Your friend: “You narrowly escaped falling down a whole flight of stairs then!”
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/dodge+the+bullet.html
      2. ↑ https://www.myenglishteacher.eu/blog/what-does-dodge-the-bullet-mean/
      3. ↑ https://www.thehagueonline.com/kickstart-language-school/2015/11/13/english-idiom-to-dodge-a-bullet
      4. ↑ https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/narrow%20escape

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