How to pronounce bulldozer
Say it like BUUL-doh-zer. Bulldozer has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BUUL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bulldozer. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BUUL
- doh
- zer
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bulldozer pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BUULSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
- dohGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- zerKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of bulldozer
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: BUUL-doh-zuh.
What does bulldozer mean?
- A tractor with caterpillar tracks and an attached blade for pushing earth and building debris for coarse preliminary surface grading, demolishing building structures, etc.
- One who bulldozes.
- A bully; an overbearing individual.
- To bulldoze (demolish with a bulldozer).
- To bulldoze (push through forcefully).“They bulldozered through the crowd.”
Where does bulldozer come from?
Originally bull-dozer (1875, Louisiana, US), in the bullier and terrorizer sense; bulldoze + -er.
Questions about saying bulldozer
How do you pronounce bulldozer?
Say BUUL-doh-zer. The American pronunciation is /ˈbʊlˌdoʊzɚ/. In British English it is /ˈbʊlˌdəʊzə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bulldozer?
Bulldozer has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BUUL). Broken into parts: BUUL · doh · zer.
Is bulldozer pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈbʊlˌdəʊzə/ (BUUL-doh-zuh).