bushwhack

verb

ˈbu̇sh-ˌ(h)wak How to pronounce bushwhack (audio)
Definition of bushwhacknext
as in to assault
to take sudden, violent action against a remote area of the park in which gangs of hoodlums have been known to bushwhack lone joggers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bushwhack 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 Eventually, after nearly two hours of bushwhacking, the Indigenous Guard comes to a series of verdant cliffs rising spectacularly out of the rainforest. — NPR, 16 Nov. 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 See All Example Sentences for bushwhack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bushwhack
  1. assault
  2. attack
  3. raid
  4. ambush
  5. storm
  6. strike
Verb
  • Two other men similarly charged with assaulting agents saw their charges dropped soon after they were filed.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2026
  • He was accused of assaulting a 29-year-old woman the day before.
    — Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of assault
Verb
  • In Iran, Afghans have been attacked by mobs and baselessly accused of collaborating with Israel; some legal residents have had police tear up their documents in front of them.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 31 Aug. 2026
  • On Saturday, an Ebola response team was attacked on the outskirts of the town of Mambasa in Ituri province while responding to a call to secure a body.
    — Constant Same Bagalwa, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of attack
Verb
  • Thieves on Thursday raided the Treasure of Villena -- one of the greatest Bronze Age gold collections -- at a museum in the Spanish city of Villena, taking most of the 50-plus mainly gold bracelets, bowls, bottles and other items on display.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Mundubile, who rejected the election result as neither free nor fair, had been in hiding since security forces raided his Lusaka home during the election period.
    — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of raid
Verb
  • However, officials have yet to determine exactly what type of animal is ambushing the unsuspecting humans.
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Lakanwal ambushed the Guard members outside a subway station three blocks from the White House, according to prosecutors.
    — Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of ambush
Verb
  • Such mutinous talk only heightened conservative Justices’ sense that the barbarians were storming the gate.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Young people armed with machetes stormed the site of the funeral, forcing the team to flee and injuring one member, a representative told the Associated Press.
    — Constant Same Bagalwa, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of storm
Verb
  • Minnesota prosecutors allege Castro fired through the front door of a Minneapolis home, striking Sosa-Celis while six people, including two children, were inside.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The chip company closed a similar deal last month, striking a $6 billion structured agreement with Poolside, an open-weight model builder.
    — Jake Angelo, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of strike

Browse Nearby Words

bushrangers
bushwhack
bushwhacked
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bushwhack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bushwhack. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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