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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For any politician unwilling or unable to persuade the public with facts and strong rebuttals, attacking the messenger becomes the path of least resistance.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 2026
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When attacking adult or adolescent males, Sandel said the chimpanzees use collective violence.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Residents said the attackers operated for hours, raiding homes and sending residents to flee to safety in neighboring communities.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
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There’s also talk of US forces raiding nuclear sites deep inside Iran to retrieve worrisome nuclear material, amid heightened fears that it could be used by an angry and desperate Iranian regime to manufacture nuclear weapons.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The lawyers had argued that a history of assaulting women didn’t make Combs guilty of the crimes charged.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Philadelphia sports radio personality Mike Missanelli was arrested early Wednesday morning for allegedly assaulting his fiancee, police said.—
Laura Fay,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In its election campaign, Fidesz has used a video generated by artificial intelligence showing Magyar storming into a Hungarian home to conscript a young man.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
12 Apr. 2026
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Roberts-Smith received the Victoria Cross after storming two enemy machine guns during his fifth tour in Afghanistan.—
Elaine Mallon,
FOXNews.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Grass lines in 8 to 15 feet of water make a perfect location for ambushing their prey and hiding from other predatory fish like muskies.—
Derek Horner,
Outdoor Life,
2 Apr. 2026
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Rajabi was therefore reduced to meeting Khamenei by ambushing him after evening prayers in his compound.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bushwhacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bushwhacking. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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