bulldog

1 of 3

noun

bull·​dog ˈbu̇l-ˌdȯg How to pronounce bulldog (audio)
 also  ˈbəl-
1
: any of a breed of compact muscular short-haired dogs having widely separated forelegs and an undershot lower jaw that were developed in England to fight bulls
2
: a handgun with a thick usually short barrel
3
: a proctor's attendant at an English university

bulldog

2 of 3

adjective

: suggestive of a bulldog
bulldog tenacity

bulldog

3 of 3

verb

bulldogged; bulldogging; bulldogs

transitive verb

: to throw (a steer) by seizing the horns and twisting the neck
bulldogger noun
bulldogging noun

Examples of bulldog in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
Now, the duo, along with Lin's other pups, spend their time skateboarding and posting about the French bulldog's adorable escapades on Facebook. Bailey Richards, People.com, 22 Oct. 2024 The Eagles wore helmet decals honoring Walker that were placed alongside purple bulldog decals, which were already in place in honor of Lindsey Duran. Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 4 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Audi's design language works well when draped over the shared 108.7-inch wheelbase and 62.3-inch front and 61.5-inch rear track widths, resulting in chunky bulldog styling that looks fetching in SUV form. Dan Edmunds, Car and Driver, 22 Dec. 2022 The result is more interior room and a hint of bulldog stance. Elana Scherr, Car and Driver, 15 Nov. 2022
Verb
Wade Sumpter was the last repeat bulldogging champ in 2012. Jason McDaniel, Houston Chronicle, 10 Mar. 2018 See all Example Sentences for bulldog 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1518, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1816, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1905, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bulldog was circa 1518

Dictionary Entries Near bulldog

Cite this Entry

“Bulldog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bulldog. Accessed 10 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

bulldog

1 of 3 noun
bull·​dog ˈbu̇l-ˌdȯg How to pronounce bulldog (audio)
: any of a breed of stocky short-haired dogs with a broad square head and forelegs set widely apart that was developed in England to fight bulls

bulldog

2 of 3 adjective
: suggestive of a bulldog
bulldog courage

bulldog

3 of 3 verb
: to throw a steer by seizing the horns and twisting the neck

More from Merriam-Webster on bulldog

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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