bustling

adjective

bus·​tling ˈbəs-liŋ How to pronounce bustling (audio)
ˈbə-sə-
: full of lively activity : busily astir
a bustling market
bustling streets
Commercial ships and recreational boats were serviced by a bustling marine industry.AAG Abstracts
bustlingly adverb
a bustlingly busy area

Examples of bustling in a Sentence

a bustling greeter was there to welcome guests to the grand opening a bustling shopping center during the Christmas season
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Last summer, a pair of FDA investigators arrived at another manufacturing plant in India that had a bustling production line. Debbie Cenziper, CNN Money, 20 June 2025 This oasis of calm, tucked into the OG convention hotel that arrived with the Boston Convention and Exposition Center back in 2004, feels like a secret inside the bustling property. Jeanne O'Brien Coffey, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025 This year’s collection spans everywhere from the Hollywood Hills to the historic streets of Paris, from the crystalline waters of Jamaica to the bustling energy of New York City. Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 18 June 2025 The only bustling places of business are the library, which is free, and the post office, which is losing money. Eileen Chang, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for bustling

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bustling was in 1582

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bustling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bustling. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on bustling

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!