as in bases
a place from which an advance (as for military operations) is made
established a bridgehead on the beach before beginning the land invasion
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Recent Examples of bridgeheads
Ukraine has sought to derail the Kremlin’s plans by launching counterattacks in the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, where Russian forces have sought to carve out bridgeheads with an aim to advance toward the regional capitals, which are key industrial hubs.
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ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bridgeheads
Noun
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Surface tanks are targets; subsurface reservoirs are fortresses.—
Siddharth Misra,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
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France believed its Maginot Line of fortresses was impregnable – until the Germans simply went around it.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Chinese government launched a brutal crackdown in Xinjiang starting in 2017, sweeping a million or more Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other predominantly Muslim ethnicities into prisons and internment camps.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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For years, many of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslim minority have embarked on rickety wooden boats to try to reach neighbouring countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, in a bid to flee persecution in Myanmar or overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Sleeping upside down Once Orion reached Earth orbit after launch, two of the crew seats, as well as the footholds of the other two seats, were stowed away and will remain that way until reentry at the mission’s end.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
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While the commitments to long-term space are notable, the decisions are a mix of maintaining footholds and new growth.—
Krysta Escobar,
CNBC,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Tesla only introduced its Supercharger network in Chile in late 2024, marking its first deployment in South America, with stations primarily located around Santiago and major routes.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Apr. 2026
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But shoppers who purchase a Walmart+ membership can receive 10 cents off per gallon at more than 13,000 stations, including Exxon, Mobil, Walmart and Murphy.—
Tami Luhby,
CNN Money,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This summer, the mayor says recreational centers will begin hosting midnight basketball.—
Terell Bailey,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
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The free, one-day event centers on independent comic creators, cosplay, and beginner-friendly Dungeons and Dragons, offering a smaller, more focused alternative to traditional conventions.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bridgeheads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bridgeheads. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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