bristle

1 of 2

noun

bris·​tle ˈbri-səl How to pronounce bristle (audio)
: a short stiff coarse hair or filament
hog bristles
short bristle paint brushes
bristlelike adjective

bristle

2 of 2

verb

bristled; bristling ˈbris-liŋ How to pronounce bristle (audio)
ˈbri-sə-

transitive verb

1
: to furnish with short stiff coarse hairs or filaments : to furnish with bristles
2
: to make aggressive or angry : to make bristly : ruffle

intransitive verb

1
a
: to rise and stand stiffly erect
quills bristling
b
: to raise the bristles (as in anger)
a snarling, bristling dog
2
: to take on an aggressively defensive attitude (as in response to a slight or criticism)
he bristled at the accusations of corruption
3
a
: to be full of or covered with especially something suggestive of bristles
roofs bristled with chimneys
b
: to be full of something specified
book bristles with detail and ironyW. J. Broad

Examples of bristle in a Sentence

Noun a face covered with bristles the bristles of a brush Verb Electricity makes your hair bristle. a recent college grad thrilled to be starting a new life in a city bristling with possibilities
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Using a dish-washing bristle brush or an old toothbrush, scrub away debris and gunk from filter. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 17 Mar. 2024 Best Toilet Brush: Staff Toilet Brush Icky bacteria won’t stick to the silicone bristles on this toilet brush. Ella Field, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2024 The way the object moves between hands bristles with an exciting energy that sadly only occurs sporadically throughout the film. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2024 The long, boar-hair bristles are easy to clean and ensure a firm yet gentle scrub. Michelle Duncan, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2024 The clump-free formula gets a boost from the innovative brush, which has short bristles at the tip to coat every last lash and longer bristles at the base to fan out your fringe. Jackie Fields, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024 The soft silicone bristles gently exfoliate and massage your skin, enhancing your cleansing routine while providing a soothing experience. Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2024 As the bristles stimulate the surface of your skin, the blood flow underneath your skin is stimulated as well, increasing circulation. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 1 Feb. 2024 Trump bristles at restrictions as judges try to rein him in In a federal defamation trial in New York, when potential jurors in a civil case were asked whether they felt mistreated by the court system, Trump mischievously raised his hand at the defense table to laughter in the gallery. Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2024
Verb
Some of the city’s artists bristle at the club fashioning itself as a home for an artistic community, given the building’s history. Callie Holtermann, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 As much contrast as there is between Simon’s endearingly genuine voice and Shostakovich’s wry sarcasm, an affinity exists between their adventurous orchestration — bristling percussion, slingshot strings, vertiginous climaxes and crashes. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 His pitch so bristles with disinformation and pseudoscience that it’s been disavowed by virtually his entire family, whose name has been synonymous with progressive politics and policy for generations. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024 Some traditional Mexican chefs have bristled at California’s transition to induction cooking, saying the high heat from gas stoves is necessary to produce the cuisine’s rich flavors. Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 4 Mar. 2024 Greeting voters this week in Vidor, Texas, near the Louisiana border, Mr. Phelan — wearing a white T-shirt and a camouflage hat, both imprinted with his name — bristled at his opponent’s claims that the Texas House under his leadership had not advanced conservative causes. J. David Goodman, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024 The clump-free formula gets a boost from the innovative brush, which has short bristles at the tip to coat every last lash and longer bristles at the base to fan out your fringe. Jackie Fields, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024 Arab Americans have bristled at Biden’s unbridled support for Israel since the war began. USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2024 Anyone who believes in capitalism should theoretically bristle at the thought of the government overriding the laws of supply and demand. TIME, 6 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bristle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bristil, from brust bristle, from Old English byrst; akin to Old High German burst bristle, and perhaps to Latin fastigium top

Verb

verbal derivative of bristle entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bristle was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near bristle

Cite this Entry

“Bristle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bristle. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bristle

1 of 2 noun
bris·​tle ˈbris-əl How to pronounce bristle (audio)
: a short stiff hair or something like a hair
bristled
-əld
adjective
bristly
-(ə-)lē
adjective

bristle

2 of 2 verb
bristled; bristling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce bristle (audio)
1
: to rise up and stiffen like bristles
makes your hair bristle
quills bristling in all directions
2
: to show signs of anger
bristled at the insult
3
: to appear as if covered with bristles
a harbor bristling with the masts of ships
bristly
-(ə-)lē
adjective

Medical Definition

bristle

noun
bris·​tle ˈbris-əl How to pronounce bristle (audio)
: a short stiff coarse hair or filament

More from Merriam-Webster on bristle

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