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
Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 5 June 2025
The brush head features a mix of tufted bristles and nylon pins that, when combined with the steady airflow, three temperature settings, and lightweight design, make easy work of achieving a full-bodied blowout at home.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 15 May 2025
Jenny Goldsberry, The Washington Examiner, 11 June 2025
On June 2, Beijing bristled at Washington's tighter grip on exports of chip design software to China.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bristle
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Noun
Dozens of worms quickly climbed on top of the bristle and one another to form a structure that moved in an eerily coordinated manner.
—Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 5 June 2025
The brush head features a mix of tufted bristles and nylon pins that, when combined with the steady airflow, three temperature settings, and lightweight design, make easy work of achieving a full-bodied blowout at home.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 15 May 2025
Verb
Both leaders bristled at the arrival of 4,000 National Guardsmen and 700 Marines.
—Jenny Goldsberry, The Washington Examiner, 11 June 2025
On June 2, Beijing bristled at Washington's tighter grip on exports of chip design software to China.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 10 June 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 18 Jun. 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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