bulldog

1 of 3

noun

bull·​dog ˈbu̇l-ˌdȯg How to pronounce bulldog (audio)
 also  ˈbəl-
1
: any of a breed of compact muscular short-haired dogs having widely separated forelegs and an undershot lower jaw that were developed in England to fight bulls
2
: a handgun with a thick usually short barrel
3
: a proctor's attendant at an English university

bulldog

2 of 3

adjective

: suggestive of a bulldog
bulldog tenacity

bulldog

3 of 3

verb

bulldogged; bulldogging; bulldogs

transitive verb

: to throw (a steer) by seizing the horns and twisting the neck
bulldogger noun
bulldogging noun

Examples of bulldog in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Under cross examination by the rapper’s bulldog lawyer Joe Tacopina, Det. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2023 Highlights include an 1898 canvas by German artist Paul Friedrich Meyerheim, depicting a playful pup with a racket in its mouth, and a 1900 painting by British artist Maud Earl, which shows a small French bulldog staring wide-eyed at something out of view. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Nov. 2023 Two days after the theft, McBride returned the bulldogs to a Los Angeles police station. Natalie Kainz, NBC News, 3 Oct. 2023 The successful mudis were also faster than the bulldogs who opened the boxes. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 21 Sep. 2023 Lady Gaga will not have to pay $500,000 to the woman who returned her two French bulldogs after they were stolen on a Los Angeles street in 2021 during a violent robbery in which Lady Gaga's dogwalker was shot and wounded, because the woman was connected to the robbery, a judge ruled this week. Gina Martinez, CBS News, 5 Oct. 2023 End of carousel Lady Gaga, whose legal name is Stefani Germanotta, pleaded with the public for help after two of her three French bulldogs were stolen from her dog walker Ryan Fischer in February 2021. Samantha Chery, Washington Post, 3 Oct. 2023 Glee actress Jenna Ushkowitz has updated fans with some heartbreaking news — her beloved French bulldog Bear has died at the age of 9. Nikki Dobrin, Peoplemag, 22 Sep. 2023 Highlights include a bulldog wagon parade, food truck vendors, local business vendors and a Memorial Strut Your Stuff walk along with music, contests and Bulldog Derby races, featuring English and French bulldogs. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Oct. 2023
Adjective
This includes Julius, a Dalmatian with hearing loss; Mykonos, an American Staffordshire terrier/bulldog with a cleft palate; and Marmalade, a border collie/Australian cattle dog with sight and hearing impairments. Rebecca Aizin, Peoplemag, 8 Feb. 2023 This has been a hard month for New York City’s French-bulldog community. Curbed, 20 July 2022 Give your bulldog puppy a reason to love mealtime with this puppy food blend from Black Gold. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 19 Oct. 2022 Audi's design language works well when draped over the shared 108.7-inch wheelbase and 62.3-inch front and 61.5-inch rear track widths, resulting in chunky bulldog styling that looks fetching in SUV form. Dan Edmunds, Car and Driver, 22 Dec. 2022 This supplement will help ensure your bulldog wards off future digestive issues by preparing the system to be healthier with natural ingredients for a natural boost. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 23 Oct. 2022 His parents were in attendance, along with his bulldog Swoosh, who could be heard panting throughout the press conference as Murray thanked all the family, friends, teammates and coaches who helped him along the way. Dallas News, 22 July 2022 The story starts as far back as early October, when Hale began receiving reports of a stray bulldog mix in a neighborhood of Bay Minette. William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, 23 Nov. 2022 The result is more interior room and a hint of bulldog stance. Elana Scherr, Car and Driver, 15 Nov. 2022
Verb
But Oregon State will most likely turn to bulldog right-hander Ben Ferrer (2-1, 2 saves, 4.39 ERA), who moved into the rotation the final week of the regular season. Joe Freeman, oregonlive, 3 June 2023 Wade Sumpter was the last repeat bulldogging champ in 2012. Jason McDaniel, Houston Chronicle, 10 Mar. 2018 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bulldog.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1518, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1816, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1905, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bulldog was circa 1518

Dictionary Entries Near bulldog

Cite this Entry

“Bulldog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bulldog. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

bulldog

1 of 3 noun
bull·​dog ˈbu̇l-ˌdȯg How to pronounce bulldog (audio)
: any of a breed of stocky short-haired dogs with a broad square head and forelegs set widely apart that was developed in England to fight bulls

bulldog

2 of 3 adjective
: suggestive of a bulldog
bulldog courage

bulldog

3 of 3 verb
: to throw a steer by seizing the horns and twisting the neck

More from Merriam-Webster on bulldog

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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