or bust

phrase

informal
—used to say that one will do everything possible to get somewhere
The sign on the car said "New Orleans or bust!"

Examples of or bust in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Both reflect a market pricing for extremes, boom or bust, rather than the gradual middle most investment portfolios are built to handle. — Carrie McCabe, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 Brazil goes home having massively underachieved expectations set pretty much at win or bust for the five-time World Cup champions. — Stephen Whyno, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026 So, yeah, lots and lots of folks have had the opportunity to melt into a perfect melody or bust a move to a ripsnorting riff over the years. — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2026 Right now, our odds are on the former, where Wright’s chances of being a top-six player currently outweigh his chances of being a depth piece or bust. — Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for or bust

Rhymes for or bust

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Browse Nearby Words

Orbulina
or bust
orb weaver
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Cite this Entry

“Or bust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/or%20bust. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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