buster

noun bust·er \ ˈbəs-tər \

|Updated on: 6 Jul 2018

Definition of buster

1 a chiefly Midland : someone or something extraordinary

a buster of a breakfast
—Harriet B. Stowe

b : an unusually sturdy child

c often capitalized : fellow —usually used as a form of address

hey buster, come here

2 chiefly Australia : a sudden violent wind often coming from the south

3 : one that breaks, breaks up, or eliminates something

crime busters

: such as

a : plow

[short for broncobuster]

: a person who breaks horses

4 : a bad fall

See buster defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of buster from the Web

Demand for this gut-buster figures to be intense, and quantities are limited.

— joe knowles, chicagotribune.com, "Are you fan enough for the Hot Doug's FireDog Pizza at Wrigley Field?," 2 July 2018
A day after shaving his mustache and continuing his search for a slump-buster, Alex Bregman tied the game at 2 with his 12th home run and drove in a go-ahead run in the fourth with a two-out single.

— hunter atkins, Houston Chronicle, "Curtis Granderson's home runs help Blue Jays soar past Astros," 26 June 2018
For the second time this month, the trust busters have received a sharp rebuke from the judiciary.

— the editorial board, WSJ, "Another Antitrust Bust," 25 June 2018
Fungi are the basis for many drugs, including the antibiotic penicillin, the immunosuppressant cyclosporine and the cholesterol buster lovastatin, so Blanchette wondered if these Antarctic species might produce any useful molecules.

— peter andrey smith, Scientific American, "Microbes Living in Antarctic Huts Produce Novel Chemical Compounds," 1 June 2018
Loyola Chicago has become the bracket buster adopted by a nation, and no one has developed more of a following than Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt, the Ramblers' 98-year-old team chaplain.

— ben bolch, latimes.com, "How Loyola Chicago and Michigan match up in the Final Four," 31 Mar. 2018
Leaders should stop working in silos; instead, leaders should be silo-busters.

— charlotteobserver, "Ashley Christensen," 5 June 2018
Most worrying to many is the threat the new government’s agenda could pose to Italy’s finances: Analysts said the governing agreement announced last week was a potential budget-buster.

— jason horowitz, BostonGlobe.com, "Italy’s populists get a green light to govern; some see a threat to EU," 23 May 2018
The transit agency said the popularity has been a budget buster.

— bill turque, kansascity, "It began with low rates, but Uber-style service for disabled riders became too popular | The Kansas City Star," 20 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'buster.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of buster

1614

in the meaning defined at sense 3

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BUSTER Defined for English Language Learners

buster

noun

Definition of buster for English Language Learners

: a person or thing that stops or prevents something
: a person or thing that breaks something apart
—used to address a man who is behaving in a way you do not like

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