bustle

1 of 3

verb

bus·​tle ˈbə-səl How to pronounce bustle (audio)
bustled; bustling ˈbəs-liŋ How to pronounce bustle (audio)
ˈbə-sə-

intransitive verb

1
: to move briskly and often ostentatiously
bustled around the kitchen
2
: to be busily astir : teem
The house was bustling with activity.

bustle

2 of 3

noun (1)

: noisy, energetic, and often obtrusive activity
the hustle and bustle of the big city

bustle

3 of 3

noun (2)

clothing : a pad or framework expanding and supporting the fullness and drapery of the back of a woman's skirt or dress
the bustle of a 19th century wedding gown
also : the drapery so supported

Examples of bustle in a Sentence

Verb She bustled around the kitchen getting ready for dinner guests. on Saturdays the city's downtown bustles with activity as a farmers' market sets up shop
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Although Boris & Horton was often bustling, the business recently started suffering. Sydney Page, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 But the downtown two-story brick building was bustling recently, even without customers around. Jeff Brady, NPR, 4 Mar. 2024 The waterfront, meanwhile, still bustled with river traffic throughout the steamboat age. Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 3 Mar. 2024 Downstairs, models are queuing up to be seen, and boxes of clothes are being bustled in and out of the front door, blasts of February air chilling the otherwise frenetic atmosphere. Nicole Phelps, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2024 Not to mention that all of that hustling and bustling around The Big Apple calls for reliable arch support and cushioning, which the Cariuma Oca Low Sneakers definitely deliver. Madeline Diamond, Travel + Leisure, 22 Feb. 2024 That album is called Business Is Business, and judging from Williams’ windfall of top-charting releases, the Young Thug business is bustling still. Bill Hochberg, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 But one notable location set for the chop is the retailer's flagship in San Francisco's once bustling Union Square shopping district, according to the San Francisco Business Times. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2024 Hotel Bel-Air was bustling with some of the internet’s favorite content creators at the second annual TikTok Visionary Voices Black Hollywood Brunch in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon. Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Feb. 2024
Noun
The brisk fall temperatures and empty beaches did not stop his family from enjoying their own unique holiday tradition: escaping life's underwhelming hustle and bustle for nature. Tonya Abari, Parents, 9 Mar. 2024 Seen through the child’s eyes, the bustle is overwhelming. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Officially incorporated in 1953, the city offers a quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of downtown Seattle, with no shortage of charming restaurants and dazzling green spaces to explore within its limits. Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Here's the premise: A group of single women leave behind the hustle and bustle of city life for the charms of country living, vying for the love of rural America's most eligible bachelors. The Enquirer, 23 Feb. 2024 Up here, the air feels fresher and the bustle below fades away as the view stretches over a patch of north London peppered with homes and office buildings. Megan Specia, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2024 The town hosts several popular seasonal events to punctuate its serenity, offering plenty to do without the hustle and bustle of an urban environment. Bang Advertising Staff and Correspondents, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2024 As the hustle and bustle of the upcoming U.S. elections continues to captivate and sway the opinions of European political leaders, companies in Europe that have always remained neutral in the past, following the customs of the Old Continent, might have to change their way of doing business. Camille Fumard, Fortune Europe, 22 Feb. 2024 Bellevue Outside the hustle and bustle of Cincinnati, this Ohio River town has a relaxed vibe. Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 17 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bustle.' 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

Verb and Noun (1)

probably alteration of obsolete buskle to prepare, frequentative of busk, from Old Norse būask to prepare oneself

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

1637, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1782, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bustle was in 1548

Dictionary Entries Near bustle

Cite this Entry

“Bustle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bustle. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bustle

1 of 2 verb
bus·​tle ˈbəs-əl How to pronounce bustle (audio)
bustled; bustling ˈbəs-(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce bustle (audio)
: to move about busily or noisily

bustle

2 of 2 noun
: noisy or energetic activity

More from Merriam-Webster on bustle

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