bustled; bustling
ˈbəs-liŋ 
ˈbə-sə-
1
: to move briskly and often ostentatiously
bustled around the kitchen
2
: to be busily astir : teem
The house was bustling with activity.
: noisy, energetic, and often obtrusive activity
the hustle and bustle of the big city
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
Noun (1)
I couldn't concentrate in all the bustle of the student lounge
Recent Examples on the Web
Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
The streets were fairly quiet in the Iranian capital, usually a bustling metropolis of over 9 million people.
—Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 21 June 2025
Olivia Lee, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2025
The usual hustle and bustle had vanished on the sixth day of escalating conflict with Israel.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bustle
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Verb
Churchill War Rooms/Cabinet War Rooms Beneath the bustling streets of Westminster lie two of London’s most powerful historical sites — the Churchill War Rooms and the Cabinet War Rooms.
—Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
The streets were fairly quiet in the Iranian capital, usually a bustling metropolis of over 9 million people.
—Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 21 June 2025
Noun
Amid the hustle and bustle of Polk Street sits Zygma European Groceries and Deli, a Polish market opened almost 15 years ago by Polish immigrants Marta and Zygmunt Zelazko.
—Olivia Lee, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2025
The usual hustle and bustle had vanished on the sixth day of escalating conflict with Israel.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bustle
Cite this Entry
“Bustle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bustle. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bustle
1 of 2 verb
bus·tle
ˈbəs-əl
bustled; bustling
ˈbəs-(ə-)liŋ
: to move about busily or noisily
bustle
2 of 2 noun
: noisy or energetic activity
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