or bust
idiom
informal
—used to say that one will do everything possible to get somewhere
The sign on the car said "New Orleans or bust!"
Examples of or bust in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Whether championing ocean conservation, rejecting questionable corporate partnerships, or prodding politicians to take bolder climate action, Patagonia’s stance remains consistent: real accountability or bust.
—
Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Players are not only running, rolling, climbing and punching, but ripping up chunks of terrain to hurl at enemies or bust open new paths.
—New Atlas, 2 Apr. 2025
The Mets did make some huge moves this winter, signing the best free agent in the class in Juan Soto, and the expectation now is World Series or bust, or something like that.
—Keith Law, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Brock Purdy gets paid, but not as much as Dominick Puni
49ers clear the decks for Brock Purdy: Say goodbye to the ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ storyline
Bosa brothers or bust?
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2025
Too often, which is to say nearly every week, the pass rush came down to Trey Hendrickson or bust.
—Paul Dehner Jr., The Athletic, 11 Mar. 2025
How many teams in the NFL this season were truly Super Bowl or bust?
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 14 Feb. 2025
In many games this year, he’s been double-double or bust.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 2025
It is often set pieces or bust with Sean Dyche’s Everton.
—Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
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.
Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Players are not only running, rolling, climbing and punching, but ripping up chunks of terrain to hurl at enemies or bust open new paths.
—New Atlas, 2 Apr. 2025
The Mets did make some huge moves this winter, signing the best free agent in the class in Juan Soto, and the expectation now is World Series or bust, or something like that.
—Keith Law, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Brock Purdy gets paid, but not as much as Dominick Puni
49ers clear the decks for Brock Purdy: Say goodbye to the ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ storyline
Bosa brothers or bust?
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2025
Too often, which is to say nearly every week, the pass rush came down to Trey Hendrickson or bust.
—Paul Dehner Jr., The Athletic, 11 Mar. 2025
How many teams in the NFL this season were truly Super Bowl or bust?
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 14 Feb. 2025
In many games this year, he’s been double-double or bust.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 2025
It is often set pieces or bust with Sean Dyche’s Everton.
—Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Or bust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/or%20bust. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share