bustling

adjective

bus·​tling ˈbəs-liŋ How to pronounce bustling (audio)
ˈbə-sə-
Synonyms of bustlingnext
: full of lively activity : busily astir
a bustling market
bustling streets
Commercial ships and recreational boats were serviced by a bustling marine industry.AAG Abstracts
bustlingly adverb
a bustlingly busy area

Examples of bustling in a Sentence

a bustling greeter was there to welcome guests to the grand opening a bustling shopping center during the Christmas season
Recent Examples on the Web
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In these suites, separate living areas create space to unwind, while spa-like marble bathrooms with deep soaking tubs and walk-in rain showers offer a haven of luxury and calm above the bustling energy of Manhattan. Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 4 June 2026 Nilsson’s Evening Street Scene, 1964, a bustling urban tableau, along with Two Ladies and Starry Stage Ladies, both 1967, whose focal points are women mid-strut, recall certain prints from George Grosz’s 1922–23 Ecce Homo portfolio, not in tone but in their teeming rakishness. Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026 Meanwhile, just beyond the horizon hides one of the world’s most bustling cities. Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2026 Finds at the Ehnasiya necropolis, once Heracleópolis Magna, include massive basilica columns, inscriptions of Middle Kingdom pharaoh Senusret III and terracotta coin molds, underscoring the city’s role as a bustling Roman-era commercial hub. Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for bustling

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bustling was in 1582

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Cite this Entry

“Bustling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bustling. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.

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