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
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
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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The president also shared clips of the video on his Truth Social handle, along with posts mocking and attacking Pretti.—
Siladitya Ray,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Stay focused on the issue, rather than attacking the other person’s character.—
Molly Burrets,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Masked federal agents are detaining citizens without cause and raiding Americans’ homes without a judge’s warrant.—
Lautaro Grinspan,
AJC.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Democrats want more sweeping reforms to reign in the tactics, such as prohibiting ICE from deploying excessive force and explicitly preventing them from raiding places of worship, hospitals and schools.—
Sam Gringlas,
NPR,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In August, Richardson was arrested for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend, fellow American sprinter Christian Coleman, at the Seattle Tacoma Airport.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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Homan said there will be zero tolerance for interfering, impeding or assaulting officers.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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An anti-ICE protest outside a Minneapolis hotel turned violent Sunday night, with some smashing windows and throwing bottles as federal officers fought to keep them from storming inside.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
26 Jan. 2026
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That’s slightly stronger than the G1 and G2 strength storming conditions the SWPC had previously forecasted.—
Addy Bink,
The Hill,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Among the Builsa people, songs are still sung about retreating from slave raiders into rocky and cavernous areas, and then ambushing them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Dec. 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 4 Feb. 2026.
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