bustle 1 of 2

noun

Definition of bustlenext
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity I couldn't concentrate in all the bustle of the student lounge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bustle

2 of 2

verb

ˈbə-səl How to pronounce bustle (audio)
1
as in to burst
to be copiously supplied on Saturdays the city's downtown bustles with activity as a farmers' market sets up shop

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to rush
to proceed or move quickly the hostess bustled about, taking care of last-minute preparations for the party

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 bustle
Noun
The hustle and bustle of it all, while often exhausting, is also familiar. — Joy Harden Bradford, AJC.com, 6 Aug. 2026 The show went into production in April and shot during the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year to capture some of the hustle and bustle of the iconic event. — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
According to company lore, Edoardo Fendi often described his wife as bustling and busy as a squirrel. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026 The historical society owns an extensive Aurora postcard collection that, like the 185 in this book, document the city from its bustling downtown to its quiet neighborhoods, parks and popular amusement destinations. — Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bustle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bustle
  1. commotion
  2. burst
  3. rush
  4. disturbance
  5. buzz
  6. hurry
  7. stir
  8. hum
Noun
  • Sleep was beginning to finally visit the insomniacs and drunkards of T—in central Manila when a commotion louder than the usual domestic squabbles erupted from the room above Mang Calixto’s bakery.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 2026
  • And, true to form, Clowney arrives with commotion and fanfare for great things ahead.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of commotion
Verb
  • The flames that burst from each copper pipe aren’t responsible for generating the organ’s tones.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The Saturday morning calm at Catalina Island Health’s two-bed emergency room was broken just before noon, when two tourists with arm injuries burst in within minutes of one another.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of burst
Verb
  • Some critics worry the country is rushing to deploy risky and unnecessary new technology at a time when wind, solar and battery power are increasingly affordable and reliable.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2026
  • And rather than rush to a decision during a pastoral transition, the church chose to set the conversation aside.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of rush
Noun
  • Not getting enough sleep, not being able to get to sleep and waking up during the night are all signs of sleep disturbances.
    — Doreen Samelson, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • What begins as relatively weak shear disturbances can quickly evolve into major waves and vortices.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of disturbance
Verb
  • Quinnen Williams & Kenny Clark Much was made about Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark both getting a full offseason with the team this year, and if their start to camp is any indication, that buzz was for good reason.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Obsession claimed Best Horror Movie and Best Actress in a Horror Movie for Inde Navarrette, who has sparked awards buzz ever since the record-breaking film first swept the box office.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of buzz
Verb
  • Army Secretary Dan Driscoll was on vacation when the mission began and hurried back to Washington as troops mobilized.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • That’s how Drake Maye ended his latest two-minute drill at Patriots training camp Monday, a meandering march that began around midfield and ended with Maye hurrying the offense to the 3-yard line with 10 seconds on the clock.
    — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of hurry
Noun
  • The Oscars smooch caused a stir in the media, but Haven later denied that there was anything untoward at play.
    — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The news has caused a stir on the island, where Cubans have been paying for medicines on the black market for years after the government reduced the production and import of medicines amid the economic crisis.
    — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of stir
Verb
  • After all, the transactions were humming along at a rapid pace.
    — Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • On the other hand, it has also been credited for keeping the US economy humming, as wealthier Americans keep spending and businesses keep hiring.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of hum

Browse Nearby Words

busting
bustle
bustled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bustle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bustle. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on bustle

Nglish: Translation of bustle for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bustle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of salvo

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

'Gaslighting,' 'Woke,' 'Democracy,' and Other Top Lookups
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All