bustling

1 of 2

adjective

bus·​tling ˈbəs-liŋ 

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

bustling

2 of 2

present participle of bustle entry 1

Synonyms of bustling

Adjective

• busy
• engaged
• diligent
• employed
• occupied

Examples of bustling in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Adjective

At its core, and undoubtedly the most bustling area of Polofest throughout the weekend, was a central room made to resemble Ralph Lauren stores around the world, but with a catch. — Zachary Weiss, Robb Report, 2 Nov. 2026

The advertisement billboard, which sits on the bustling 26th of July Axis in Cairo, made waves on social media as many people stopped their cars and pulled out their phones to record. — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026

By Sophie Neiman, Contributor At a foreign exchange stall in a bustling marketplace here in Somaliland’s capital city, Abiquatar Farah proudly holds out a red banknote. — Mahbub Abdillahi, Christian Science Monitor, 22 Oct. 2026

After a monthlong fashion marathon that went from New York to Paris, a quieter-than-usual Shanghai Fashion Week felt almost like a respite in a still-bustling metropolis that offered no shortage of cultural activities on the side. — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1582, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bustling

• hustling