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
Synonyms
Verb
Noun (1)
- ado
- alarums and excursions
- ballyhoo
- blather
- bluster
- bobbery
- bother
- clatter
- clutter [chiefly dialect]
- coil
- commotion
- corroboree [Australian]
- disturbance
- do [chiefly dialect]
- foofaraw
- fun
- furor
- furore
- fuss
- helter-skelter
- hoo-ha
- hoo-hah
- hoopla
- hubble-bubble
- hubbub
- hullabaloo
- hurly
- hurly-burly
- hurricane
- hurry
- hurry-scurry
- hurry-skurry
- kerfuffle [chiefly British]
- moil
- pandemonium
- pother
- row
- ruckus
- ruction
- rumpus
- shindy
- splore [Scottish]
- squall
- stew
- stir
- storm
- to-do
- tumult
- turmoil
- uproar
- welter
- whirl
- williwaw
- zoo
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
Recent Examples on the Web
Peter Aitken, Fox News, 30 Nov. 2023
The Social Evil Ordinance was short-lived—it was repealed in 1874—yet the oldest profession continued to thrive as the Gateway to the West expanded its reign as a bustling port along the Mississippi.
—Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Nov. 2023
Uniqlo, Zara and H&M, with placards offering 30%, 40% and 50% off, were bustling.
—Jeannette Neumann and Olivia Rockeman Bloomberg News (tns), arkansasonline.com, 26 Nov. 2023
Once bustling with activity, UCLA’s football practice field nearly has emptied on a warm morning.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2023
This Limited Edition recalls the distinctive scents of the bustling marketplaces and fragrant ofrendas (offerings) placed on altars throughout the country during Día de Muertos.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 26 Oct. 2023
In another, Bas proudly waves a Sudanese flag to a bustling crowd from a stage.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2023
London is known for its bustling fashion and art scene so the new store being right at the center on 57-59 Beak Street makes perfect sense.
—Essence, 23 Oct. 2023
The home renovation scene is always bustling with easy tricks for upgrading your interior design game without renovating your entire house—aka changing up the small details.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2023
Samantha Booth, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2023
The hustle and bustle of the holidays can also make pets feel stressed and overwhelmed.
—Amy McGorry, Fox News, 25 Nov. 2023
For the rest of the film, you’re hit with a stunning series of images of all the earth has to offer, from the peaceful serenity of a seaside cave to the clamoring bustle of the modern metropolis.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 22 Nov. 2023
Travel offers the opportunity to experience a sense of calm, serenity or even just the ability to escape from the day-to-day hustle and bustle of our work and personal lives.
—Mariette Williams, Essence, 17 Nov. 2023
For Isreal, Twinbrook is a reminder of what Rockville used to be decades ago: a community where neighbors recognize each other on walks and look out for each other; a place still evocative of a small town despite its proximity to big developments and the bustle of Washington.
—Hope Hodge Seck, Washington Post, 15 Nov. 2023
The director revels in the frantic bustle of the Oklahoma boomtown of Fairfax where most of the film is set — a world of fast, shiny cars, hollering cowboys, and seemingly endless oil fields.
—Vulture, 20 Oct. 2023
And, starting next spring, travelers can escape the hustle and bustle of cities with a trip to the scenic Cataloochee Ranch in North Carolina's Great Smoky Mountains.
—Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 13 Nov. 2023
Like The Good Wife before it, The Gilded Age is a veritable who’s who of great New York theater actors: Tony nominees in bustles and cravats as far as the eye can see.
—Phillip MacIak, The New Republic, 1 Nov. 2023
See More
Verb
The program is to occur in Shanghai, a bustling metropolis known as the Paris of the East and home to more than 26 million people.
—Peter Aitken, Fox News, 30 Nov. 2023
The Social Evil Ordinance was short-lived—it was repealed in 1874—yet the oldest profession continued to thrive as the Gateway to the West expanded its reign as a bustling port along the Mississippi.
—Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Nov. 2023
Uniqlo, Zara and H&M, with placards offering 30%, 40% and 50% off, were bustling.
—Jeannette Neumann and Olivia Rockeman Bloomberg News (tns), arkansasonline.com, 26 Nov. 2023
Once bustling with activity, UCLA’s football practice field nearly has emptied on a warm morning.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2023
This Limited Edition recalls the distinctive scents of the bustling marketplaces and fragrant ofrendas (offerings) placed on altars throughout the country during Día de Muertos.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 26 Oct. 2023
In another, Bas proudly waves a Sudanese flag to a bustling crowd from a stage.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2023
London is known for its bustling fashion and art scene so the new store being right at the center on 57-59 Beak Street makes perfect sense.
—Essence, 23 Oct. 2023
The home renovation scene is always bustling with easy tricks for upgrading your interior design game without renovating your entire house—aka changing up the small details.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2023
Noun
Crafted to provide moments of relaxation and rejuvenation, these presents offer a respite from the hustle and bustle, ensuring you or a special someone can bask in the joy of self-care.
—Samantha Booth, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2023
The hustle and bustle of the holidays can also make pets feel stressed and overwhelmed.
—Amy McGorry, Fox News, 25 Nov. 2023
For the rest of the film, you’re hit with a stunning series of images of all the earth has to offer, from the peaceful serenity of a seaside cave to the clamoring bustle of the modern metropolis.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 22 Nov. 2023
Travel offers the opportunity to experience a sense of calm, serenity or even just the ability to escape from the day-to-day hustle and bustle of our work and personal lives.
—Mariette Williams, Essence, 17 Nov. 2023
For Isreal, Twinbrook is a reminder of what Rockville used to be decades ago: a community where neighbors recognize each other on walks and look out for each other; a place still evocative of a small town despite its proximity to big developments and the bustle of Washington.
—Hope Hodge Seck, Washington Post, 15 Nov. 2023
The director revels in the frantic bustle of the Oklahoma boomtown of Fairfax where most of the film is set — a world of fast, shiny cars, hollering cowboys, and seemingly endless oil fields.
—Vulture, 20 Oct. 2023
And, starting next spring, travelers can escape the hustle and bustle of cities with a trip to the scenic Cataloochee Ranch in North Carolina's Great Smoky Mountains.
—Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 13 Nov. 2023
Like The Good Wife before it, The Gilded Age is a veritable who’s who of great New York theater actors: Tony nominees in bustles and cravats as far as the eye can see.
—Phillip MacIak, The New Republic, 1 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bustle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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
Phrases Containing bustle
Dictionary Entries Near bustle
Cite this Entry
“Bustle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bustle. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids 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
More from Merriam-Webster on bustle
Nglish: Translation of bustle for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of bustle for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bustle
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