bushwhack

1 of 2

verb

bush·​whack ˈbu̇sh-ˌ(h)wak 

bushwhacked; bushwhacking; bushwhacks

1

transitive : to attack (someone) by surprise from a hidden place : ambush

… the American banditti robbed trains and bushwhacked stagecoaches and settlers' caravans with equal enthusiasm for fistic violence and gunplay.

—James Gray

Williams wears a pistol when he goes into the countryside and worries that someone might bushwhack him because he is outspoken.

—Monty Brower and Bill Shaw

2

intransitive

a

: to travel by foot through uncleared terrain

Other beaches have no access at all; you have to bushwhack to get to them, through terrain infested with rattlesnakes, poison oak, and other hazards.

—Anthony Brandt

No paths presented themselves and I bushwhacked through numerous fallen and dead trees.

—Rob Nicholson

… decided it was best to "bushwhack," or wander off the path to get closer to the barred owl and possibly catch a glimpse of it.

—Eric Koszalka

b

: to clear a path or advance through thick woods especially by chopping down bushes and low branches

… it would allow them to locate their prey without having to bushwhack through the jungle for days or weeks.

—Earth Island Journal

bushwhacker noun

bushwhacker

2 of 2

noun

bush·​whack·​er

ˈbu̇sh-ˌ(h)wa-kər

variants or less commonly bushwacker

ˈbu̇sh-ˌ(h)wa-kər

or less commonly bushwhack

ˈbu̇sh-ˌ(h)wak 

plural -s

: one that bushwhacks: such as

a

: a person who clears away the bush (as in preparing land for grazing)

also : an implement for this

b

: one that lives in or frequents the woods : woodsman

c

: a Confederate soldier who engaged in guerrilla warfare in the Civil War

d

: one that fires from ambush : sniper

e

: a deserter or draft dodger who became an outlaw especially during and after the Civil War

f

: bushfighter, raider, guerrilla

g

: outlaw, bandit

Synonyms of bushwhack

Verb

• assault
• attack
• raid
• ambush
• storm
• strike

Examples of bushwhack in a Sentence

Verb

The group bushwhacked through the jungle.

They used the controversy as an opportunity to bushwhack their political opponents.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Over the next three days, the group would bushwhack miles up side canyons looking for birds, beavers, bugs and more. —Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 7 June 2026

The best hiking pants earn their place in our packing list the hard way—through scree scrambles, sweaty switchbacks, and the kind of bushwhacking that tests each and every seam. —Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Mar. 2026

Perhaps the most surprising of these offerings, considering the cushiness of the surroundings, are the daily courses in primitive wilderness endurance, led by bushwhacking reality TV stalwart Bear Grylls’ Survival Academy. —Beth Landman, HollywoodReporter, 7 Jan. 2026

Squeezing through slot canyons and bushwhacking through scrub oak provided some Outside Lab-style abrasive durability that didn’t even leave a mark on the nylon ripstop material. —The Editors, Outside, 31 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

back-formation from bushwhacker

Noun

bushwhacker from bush entry 1 + whacker; bushwacker & bushwack, alteration of bushwhacker

First Known Use

Verb

1866, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bushwhack

• aback
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback
• cutback