bristled; bristling
ˈbris-liŋ 
ˈbri-sə-
1
: to furnish with short stiff coarse hairs or filaments : to furnish with bristles
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 irony—
W. J. Broad
W. J. BroadExamples 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
Terri Williams, Architectural Digest, 23 Apr. 2025
It is designed with a narrow head and stiff bristles to reach and clean hard-to-reach areas like grout lines, window tracks and around appliances.
—Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Apr. 2025
From the moment Pope Francis stepped onto the world stage, there were those within his own Church who bristled.
—Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bristle
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Noun
The robot vacuum has 8,000Pa suction and a multidirectional floating roller brush with rubber and bristles, which does an excellent job of removing dust and debris from carpets.
—Terri Williams, Architectural Digest, 23 Apr. 2025
It is designed with a narrow head and stiff bristles to reach and clean hard-to-reach areas like grout lines, window tracks and around appliances.
—Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
Communities that rely on immigrant labor have bristled at the uptick in deportations.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Apr. 2025
From the moment Pope Francis stepped onto the world stage, there were those within his own Church who bristled.
—Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bristle
Cite this Entry
“Bristle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bristle. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bristle
1 of 2 noun
bris·tle
ˈbris-əl
: a short stiff hair or something like a hair
bristled
adjective
-əld
bristly
adjective
-(ə-)lē
bristle
2 of 2 verb
bristled; bristling
-(ə-)liŋ
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
adjective
-(ə-)lē
Medical Definition
bristle
noun
bris·tle
ˈbris-əl
: a short stiff coarse hair or filament
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