1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
delivered a bust to the boxer's chops
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in disaster
something that has failed
the first movie was a hit, but the sequel was an unexpected bust
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in arrest
slang
the act of taking or holding under one's control by authority of law
those lowlifes were nabbed for drug dealing in a massive bust last month
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4
as in spree
a bout of prolonged or excessive drinking
a bunch of underage kids having a beer bust while the parents were away for the weekend
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1
as in to reduce
to bring to a lower grade or rank
the commander threatened to bust her for failing to salute
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to bankrupt
to cause to lose one's fortune and become unable to pay one's debts
gambling is a dangerous habit that has busted many unfortunate souls
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to disrupt
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
the butterfingered husband had busted more plates than he cared to remember
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4
as in to hit
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
busted the storekeeper on the nose and was promptly arrested for it
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5
as in to arrest
slang
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
the cops busted the revelers for drinking in public
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6
as in to wear
to use up all the physical energy of
I had to bust my butt in order to get the project done on time
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
or busted
as in bankrupt
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bust
Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
All in all, this strapless bra provided a snug fit on our tester's large bust and maintained its quality during the testing period.
—Michelle Rostamian, People.com, 22 May 2025
Will Sammon, New York Times, 20 May 2025
The DJs have a pretty nice warm-up setlist going (Anderson .Paak and Kaytranada are heavily featured), and the Google employees organizing the event are busting moves at the entrance.
—Brian Cheung, NBC news, 20 May 2025
Ramon Pacheco Pardo, Foreign Affairs, 7 May 2024
And while those payments crimped Spotify’s profits, and the company has lately struggled to sell stock investors on a convincing growth story, Spotify is also not about to go bust.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 2 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bust
Noun
Jim Morrison bust stolen from Doors singer’s Paris grave in the ‘80s has finally been recovered
Police have found a bust of Jim Morrison that was stolen nearly four decades ago from the Paris grave that has long been a place of pilgrimage for fans of the legendary Doors singer and poet.
—Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
All in all, this strapless bra provided a snug fit on our tester's large bust and maintained its quality during the testing period.
—Michelle Rostamian, People.com, 22 May 2025
Verb
But here’s the thing: The primary definition of hustling is busting it out of the batter’s box.
—Will Sammon, New York Times, 20 May 2025
The DJs have a pretty nice warm-up setlist going (Anderson .Paak and Kaytranada are heavily featured), and the Google employees organizing the event are busting moves at the entrance.
—Brian Cheung, NBC news, 20 May 2025
Adjective
And last year, when Silicon Valley Bank—favored by startups—was about to go bust, the U.S. Treasury Department, the U.S. Federal Reserve, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, came to its customers’ rescue.
—Ramon Pacheco Pardo, Foreign Affairs, 7 May 2024
And while those payments crimped Spotify’s profits, and the company has lately struggled to sell stock investors on a convincing growth story, Spotify is also not about to go bust.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 2 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bust
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bust
Noun
-
If approved, the cuts would served a devastating blow to the U.N., which is already struggling as other governments also cut contributions.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2025
-
Her relationship may have been seen as the ideal outcome of inner work, so its collapse may have felt disappointing, like a blow to their healing process.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
Noun
-
Similarly, the market-resilience work performed by a lab at the University of California, Davis, offers solutions to farmers and agricultural communities that are vulnerable to intensifying weather disasters.—
Peter Slevin,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
-
Federal database that tracked costly weather disasters no longer being updated How to prepare for an earthquake disaster Huge earthquakes have long been an existential crisis for millions along the West Coast, as described in a 2022 USA TODAY article.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
Cunningham was taken into custody in Florida after a warrant was issued for his arrest following a May 24 incident in Harrison County, Miss., per The Independent.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
8 June 2025
-
He was released on bond not long after his arrest and isn’t required to wear an ankle monitor.—
Charles Rabin,
Miami Herald,
7 June 2025
Noun
-
That was one of the assets that Lilly acquired as part of its acquisition spree in 2023 , and muscle mass preservation is one of its distinguishing features.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
3 June 2025
-
The front office went on another offseason shopping spree to avoid becoming a buyer at the trade deadline but that plan could still change.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 June 2025
Verb
-
Here are recommendations for maintaining safety during a thunderstorm: To reduce the chance of being struck by lightning, when venturing outside, have a plan to get to a safer area.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2025
-
Yerevan has since sought to diversify its defense sources, reducing arms imports from Russia to as low as 10 percent by 2024.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Verb
-
The settlement, which was capped at $2 million to not bankrupt the city, will be paid through the city’s insurance coverage, according to KSAT.—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
23 Apr. 2025
-
One clear demonstration: In a highly visible test, the Kansas experiment of the previous decade nearly bankrupted the state and drove the governor out of office.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The earthquake disrupted the World Series and damaged the Bay Bridge, Oakland’s Cypress Freeway, and swaths of San Francisco.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
-
The cuts will disrupt ongoing research, ruin experiments and datasets, destroy the careers of aspiring scientists, and deter long-term investments at universities across the country.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Verb
-
Lightning hits the United States approximately 25 million times annually.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
7 June 2025
-
At the end of February, a pedestrian was hit in West London by an ebike rider in West London — not a rental or sharing scheme, to be clear — and died after a month in hospital.—
Nicole Kobie,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bust. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
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