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Glite Dictionary
to bulldoze

to bulldoze

29 4.2
To use a large pushing machine to flatten land or to remove things by force
  • verb
  • /ˈbʊlˌdoʊz/
translation icon : arrasar
  • A multinational company searching for oil bulldozed a road over numerous structures at the site. Ca. 1979.

When we came back, our hole was bulldozed over and we were moved in there.

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Examples

  • The houses were bulldozed to make room for more crops.

    A Thousand Acres (1997)

  • You can literally bulldoze down their business.

  • What I'd really like to do is bulldoze the whole thing in with fill.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • However, the local police bulldozed the location before a thorough investigation could be completed.

    The Bray Road Beast (2018)

  • The woods behind the house, however, had been bulldozed and graded flat for more new houses.

    Academic text (2001)

  • The only ruins were old houses bulldozed to make room for gaudier homes, and those ruins were immediately cleared.

    Academic text (2004)

  • The city council decided to bulldoze the old building to make space for a new park.

  • After the storm, the crew had to bulldoze the fallen trees to clear the road.

  • Developers plan to bulldoze the abandoned factory to construct new apartments.

Synonyms

to tear down
vsto bulldoze
123 3.7

To destroy a building or other structure completely

implies forceful leveling often using machines not just manual removal
to demolish
vsto bulldoze
54 3.7

Completely destroy a building or large structure

focuses on flattening with heavy equipment rather than general destruction
to raze
vsto bulldoze
17 7.1

To completely destroy a building or area so nothing is left

flattens or removes using strong mechanical force rather than careful dismantling
to pulverize
vsto bulldoze
  • US
15 7.6

To destroy something completely so nothing is left

means forceful clearing often by pushing and flattening rather than crushing
to clear-cut
vsto bulldoze
  • Specialized
2 6.1

To cut down all the trees in an area at once

is broader, meaning forceful clearing or flattening beyond removing trees
to rase
vsto bulldoze
  • Archaic
9.9

To completely tear down a building or town so nothing is left

flattens or clears by force often using heavy earthmoving machines

Antonyms

to build
∞ 1.0

To make something by joining parts or materials

to restore
219 3.5

Return something like a painting or building to its original working condition

How Forceful

to raze
17 7.1
to demolish
54 3.7
to bulldoze
29 4.2
to clear
∞ 1.5
to remove
∞ 1.5

Surface Forms

bulldoze infinitive
bulldozed past
bulldozed past participle
bulldozing present participle
bulldozes third person singular

Etymology

The word bulldoze likely comes from the image of a bull (something very strong) giving a big 'dose' of force, and that idea later named the heavy machine bulldozer that pushes earth. So to bulldoze something is to push it down or remove it by force, like that powerful machine.