Bulldozing
/ˈbʊlˌdoʊzɪŋ/
verbnounB2present participle
Definition
Bulldozing is the action of using a bulldozer—a big machine with a strong flat blade—to push away earth, trees, or buildings. It can also mean forcing something through quickly and roughly, like making decisions or moving people without care for obstacles or feelings.
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See It in Action
Using a bulldozer machine to clear land or remove obstacles
- •The workers are bulldozing the old building to make space for a new park.
- •Bulldozing the forest caused a lot of environmental damage.
- •They started bulldozing the site early in the morning.
Forcing something through quickly and roughly, ignoring objections
- •The manager was bulldozing the new rules without asking the employees.
- •She bulldozed her way into the conversation, not letting others speak.
- •The politician bulldozed the bill through the parliament.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'bulldozing' like 'pushing' (A1 word), but much stronger and with a big machine or very forceful action
- ✓Picture a large yellow machine pushing dirt and trees across a field, clearing everything in its path
- ✓It's the feeling when someone is very strong or rough, not caring about what is in the way or what others think
- ✓Sounds like 'BULL-dozing' → imagine a big bull pushing everything with its head down, moving forward without stopping
- ✓Think of a story where a giant animal or machine clears a path by pushing everything away quickly and powerfully
- ✓NOT like 'moving' gently or carefully—bulldozing is rough and fast, often destroying what is in front
- ✓NOT like 'negotiating' or 'asking'—bulldozing means forcing and not waiting for agreement
- ✓NOT like 'digging' or 'lifting'—bulldozing pushes and flattens things on the ground
Try Other Words
- •Leveling: making land flat by cutting down or filling up (Use when focusing on making land even, not just pushing)
- •Forcing: making something happen by pressure (Use when talking about making decisions or actions happen quickly and without agreement)
- •Clearing: removing things from an area (Use when the focus is on removing obstacles or objects)
- •Plowing: turning over soil for farming (Use when talking about preparing land, but less forceful than bulldozing)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "bull" + "doze" + "-ing" (present participle suffix)
- •Etymology: "bulldoze" comes from "bull" (strong animal) + "dose" (from "dose" meaning a blow or push), originally meaning to push roughly like a bull
- •Historical development: First used in the late 1800s in American English to describe rough pushing or forcing; later connected to the machine called a bulldozer
- •Modern usage: Used both for the physical act of pushing with a bulldozer and for strong, forceful actions or decisions that ignore obstacles
Reflect & Connect
•When can bulldozing be helpful, and when can it cause problems in real life?
•How does bulldozing as a physical action compare to bulldozing as a way of making decisions or leading people?
Fill in the blanks
1.The construction crew was bulldozing the land ___ to build the new highway.
2.When she started bulldozing her ideas ___, no one had a chance to speak.
3.Bulldozing is different from careful planning because it often ignores ___ or feelings.
4.The company bulldozed through the project ___ without waiting for approval.
5.Bulldozing usually involves strong force, often ___ a machine like a bulldozer.
6.People feel upset when their opinions are bulldozed ___ without respect.
7.Bulldozing can clear obstacles quickly, but it may also ___ important things in the way.