bustle

1 of 3

verb

bus·​tle ˈbə-səl How to pronounce bustle (audio)
bustled; bustling ˈbəs-liŋ How to pronounce bustle (audio)
ˈbə-sə-

intransitive verb

1
: to move briskly and often ostentatiously
bustled around the kitchen
2
: to be busily astir : teem
The house was bustling with activity.

bustle

2 of 3

noun (1)

: noisy, energetic, and often obtrusive activity
the hustle and bustle of the big city

bustle

3 of 3

noun (2)

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Jeff Benjamin Yang also teased the possibility of debuting new groups, speaking to the company’s bustling trainee program. Jeff Benjamin, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024 Daydreaming of buying a plot of land and a tiny home to escape the hustle and bustle this holiday season? Kaitlin Gates, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Nov. 2024
Noun
Another video taken later showed the former flames conversing over the bustle of the arena. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 20 Nov. 2024 The hustle and bustle of London’s busy St. Pancras International Station received a welcome reprise on Wednesday afternoon, when actor Jeff Goldblum delivered an impromptu performance on the Sir Elton John piano positioned on the lower ground floor of the station. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bustle 

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun (1)

probably alteration of obsolete buskle to prepare, frequentative of busk, from Old Norse būask to prepare oneself

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

1637, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1782, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bustle was in 1548

Dictionary Entries Near bustle

Cite this Entry

“Bustle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bustle. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

bustle

1 of 2 verb
bus·​tle ˈbəs-əl How to pronounce bustle (audio)
bustled; bustling ˈbəs-(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce bustle (audio)
: to move about busily or noisily

bustle

2 of 2 noun
: noisy or energetic activity

More from Merriam-Webster on bustle

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