bulldoze

verb

bull·​doze ˈbu̇l-ˌdōz 

also ˈbəl-

bulldozed; bulldozing; bulldozes

transitive verb

1

: to coerce or restrain by threats : bully

2

: to move, clear, gouge out, or level off by pushing with or as if with a bulldozer

3

: to force insensitively or ruthlessly

intransitive verb

1

: to operate a bulldozer

2

: to force one's way like a bulldozer

Synonyms of bulldoze

• push
• squeeze

Choose the Right Synonym for bulldoze

intimidate, cow, bulldoze, bully, browbeat mean to frighten into submission.

intimidate implies inducing fear or a sense of inferiority into another.

intimidated by so many other bright freshmen

cow implies reduction to a state where the spirit is broken or all courage is lost.

not at all cowed by the odds against making it in show business

bulldoze implies an intimidating or an overcoming of resistance usually by urgings, demands, or threats.

bulldozed the city council into approving the plan

bully implies intimidation through threats, insults, or aggressive behavior.

bullied into giving up their lunch money

browbeat implies a cowing through arrogant, scornful, or contemptuous treatment.

browbeat the witness into a contradiction

Examples of bulldoze in a Sentence

The crew is bulldozing the trees.

They bulldozed a road through the hills.

The governor bulldozed the law through the legislature.

Recent Examples on the Web

The nonprofit group is arguing that the president should have sought authorization from Congress before bulldozing the East Wing. —Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026

The big man has been efficient all playoffs by bulldozing to the rim and finishing, by knocking down trailing 3s and hitting the offensive glass. —James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026

School bulldozed In a separate incident, activists say settlers bulldozed a school in Hammamat al-Maleh in the northern Jordan Valley Monday evening, near the village of Tayasir, where a CNN team was detained and assaulted by soldiers last month. —Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026

The external expectations have not been this high since 2022, in part because of how the Avs bulldozed through the first half of the schedule. —Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from bull entry 1 + alteration of dose

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing bulldoze

• bulldoze one's way

Rhymes for bulldoze

• aloes
• arose
• bedclothes
• bestows
• boroughs
• buboes
• cargoes
• cocos
• compose
• crossbows
• demos
• depose

Kids Definition

bulldoze

verb

bull·​doze ˈbu̇l-ˌdōz 

bulldozed; bulldozing

1

: to move, clear, or level with a bulldozer

2

: to force as if by using a bulldozer

bulldozed their way through the crowd