bulldozer

noun

bull·​doz·​er ˈbu̇l-ˌdō-zər How to pronounce bulldozer (audio)
also ˈbəl-
1
: one that bulldozes
2
: a tractor-driven machine usually having a broad horizontal blade for moving earth

Examples of bulldozer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Aylesworth sent a friend with a bulldozer to stop the overflow. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026 Switching on conveyor belts that extended from the stern of the ship into the water, the crew began to haul in streams of seaweed, dumping it onto the hull, where workers packed it in with a bulldozer. — David Shortell Cristopher Rogel Blanquet, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026 In a statement posted on X, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stood in front of a bulldozer near the site of the shootout and promised Israel would tear down Palestinian buildings constructed without permits in the area. — Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026 Israeli bulldozers demolish a Palestinian building in the West Bank city of Hebron Friday. — Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bulldozer

Word History

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bulldozer was in 1876

Rhymes for bulldozer

See All Rhymes for bulldozer

Browse Nearby Words

bulldoze one's way
bulldozer
bull driver
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bulldozer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bulldozer. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

bulldozer

noun
bull·​doz·​er ˈbu̇l-ˌdō-zər How to pronounce bulldozer (audio)
: a piece of earth-moving equipment that rides on tracks and has a broad blade for pushing (as in clearing land of trees)

More from Merriam-Webster on bulldozer

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bulldozer

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