as in attacking
to take sudden, violent action against
a remote area of the park in which gangs of hoodlums have been known to bushwhack lone joggers
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Recent Examples of bushwhacking
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
After about an hour of following bushwhacking guides and slipping over an elephant trail twisting through the undergrowth, trumpets and guttural grunts pierced through the silence.
—Chris Schalkx, AFAR Media, 20 Aug. 2025
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
After about an hour of following bushwhacking guides and slipping over an elephant trail twisting through the undergrowth, trumpets and guttural grunts pierced through the silence.
—Chris Schalkx, AFAR Media, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bushwhacking
Verb
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Just attacking everything with strikes.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
11 June 2026
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Police in the northwest Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights have released a sketch of a man accused of attacking and choking a woman this past weekend.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Verb
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The former tomb-raiding Angelina Jolie also happens to be a Gemini, which Wilton Regan says is compatible with her own air sign.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
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Even rural birds manage to find some human items, most likely by raiding farm bins or garages.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 June 2026
Verb
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The other individual in the vehicle is facing charges for assaulting a federal officer.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
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The New York Police Department told Fox News Digital that 21 people were arrested — 13 for disorderly conduct and eight for assaulting officers, criminal possession of weapons and menacing.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
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But to compare them with Thomas Jefferson or American soldiers storming the beaches of Normandy is absurd and more than a little insulting.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
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Trump's displeasure eventually culminated in him ripping off his lapel mic and storming off the set.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
Verb
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The Astros were ambushing him, trying to put the ball in play as soon as possible.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
13 Nov. 2025
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Over the past two months, JNIM has stepped up attacks on fuel supplies, ambushing tankers on the roads from Ivory Coast and Senegal.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
2 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bushwhacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bushwhacking. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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