# bulldozer

/ˈbʊɫˌdoʊzɝ/ (US) · /bˈʊldəʊzɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bulldozer
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. construction vehicle

noun · CEFR B2

a powerful tractor with a large metal blade at the front used for moving dirt or destroying old buildings.

For teachers: a heavy-duty tracked vehicle featuring a front-mounted blade for grading soil, clearing debris, or performing demolition.

- The construction crew used a bulldozer to clear the trees and prepare the ground for the new house.
- The site manager ordered a bulldozer to level the uneven terrain before the foundation could be poured for the industrial complex.

### 2. an overbearing person

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a person who uses their power or a loud personality to force others to agree with them.

For teachers: an individual who behaves in an overbearing or coercive manner to overcome opposition.

- My boss is a bit of a bulldozer and never listens to anyone else's ideas during meetings.
- Known as a political bulldozer, the senator frequently ignored committee protocols to push his agenda through the legislature.

### 3. to clear or demolish

verb · CEFR B2

to use a heavy machine to flatten the ground or knock something down.

For teachers: to level ground or demolish structures using a bulldozer; often used figuratively to describe clearing obstacles.

- They plan to bulldoze the old factory to make room for a park.
- The city council voted to bulldoze the derelict housing block, citing safety concerns and the need for urban renewal.

### 4. to force through

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to force a plan or an idea through even if other people disagree.

For teachers: to use forceful or insensitive methods to achieve an objective or bypass opposition.

- The manager tried to bulldoze the new rules through without asking the staff what they thought.
- The administration was accused of trying to bulldoze the controversial legislation through parliament before the public had time to react.

## Examples

- The bulldozer cleared the land for the new house.
- The construction crew used a bulldozer to level the uneven ground before laying the foundation.
- The project faced significant delays when the bulldozer broke down on the final day of the excavation, leaving the site vulnerable to heavy rain.

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