as in broken
forcibly separated into many pieces
a busted headlight
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also bust
1
as in demoted
to bring to a lower grade or rank
the commander threatened to bust her for failing to salute
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ruined
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disrupted
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
the butterfingered husband had busted more plates than he cared to remember
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in knocked
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in arrested
slang
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
the cops busted the revelers for drinking in public
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in killed
to use up all the physical energy of
I had to bust my butt in order to get the project done on time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of busted
Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Offices are buzzing about busted brackets, surprise upsets, Cinderella stories, and who’s cutting down the nets.
—Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
Back then, touring on a busted bus was the dream.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2026
Each year, March Madness can leave you with a busted bracket, so give yourself another chance to pick a winner with The Courier Journal's Louisville nachos tournament.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Mar. 2026
The break-in left Perakis to deal with a busted window and a mess inside.
—Jermont Terry, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
Deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and CHP officers blocked off the shooting scene around a white sedan with front-end damage, a busted windshield and deployed airbags.
—City News Service, Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Miami unlocked the deep game just before halftime, taking advantage of a busted coverage for a 52-yard touchdown pass from Beck to Keelan Marion.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
Miami unlocked the deep game just before halftime, taking advantage of a busted coverage for a 52-yard touchdown pass from Beck to Keelan Marion.
—Dallas Morning News, 8 Jan. 2026
Natalia V. Osipova, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
In December, Foley’s office busted two Haitian nationals in a $7 million SNAP fraud scheme that ran out of a tiny store operating as a front for the criminal operation in Mattapan.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
Those are the stories that entrance and often delight a nation, even as brackets are busted from coast to coast.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 25 Mar. 2026
Iowa just busted America's brackets The 2026 NCAA Men's Tournament had a game decided with a go-ahead bucket in the final five seconds.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
Another 3,200 were busted when Utah State pulled away from Villanova, 86-76.
—Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 21 Mar. 2026
Just like that, before most fans had even settled into the tournament, 40% of all brackets were already busted.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 20 Mar. 2026
The robot in the video is part of the restaurant’s in-store service and entertainment setup, programmed to bust a move for customers at the restaurant chain.
—Isabel Yip, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026
At the start of a tournament that's bound to bust plenty of brackets, there's one safe bet.
—Noel Brennan, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
McAneney had a busted lip and a scratch underneath his right eye in his mugshot.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Offices are buzzing about busted brackets, surprise upsets, Cinderella stories, and who’s cutting down the nets.
—Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
Back then, touring on a busted bus was the dream.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2026
Each year, March Madness can leave you with a busted bracket, so give yourself another chance to pick a winner with The Courier Journal's Louisville nachos tournament.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Mar. 2026
The break-in left Perakis to deal with a busted window and a mess inside.
—Jermont Terry, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
Deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and CHP officers blocked off the shooting scene around a white sedan with front-end damage, a busted windshield and deployed airbags.
—City News Service, Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Miami unlocked the deep game just before halftime, taking advantage of a busted coverage for a 52-yard touchdown pass from Beck to Keelan Marion.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
Miami unlocked the deep game just before halftime, taking advantage of a busted coverage for a 52-yard touchdown pass from Beck to Keelan Marion.
—Dallas Morning News, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
Then, during Hurricane Helene in September 2024, the box finally busted open.
—Natalia V. Osipova, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
In December, Foley’s office busted two Haitian nationals in a $7 million SNAP fraud scheme that ran out of a tiny store operating as a front for the criminal operation in Mattapan.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
Those are the stories that entrance and often delight a nation, even as brackets are busted from coast to coast.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 25 Mar. 2026
Iowa just busted America's brackets The 2026 NCAA Men's Tournament had a game decided with a go-ahead bucket in the final five seconds.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
Another 3,200 were busted when Utah State pulled away from Villanova, 86-76.
—Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 21 Mar. 2026
Just like that, before most fans had even settled into the tournament, 40% of all brackets were already busted.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 20 Mar. 2026
The robot in the video is part of the restaurant’s in-store service and entertainment setup, programmed to bust a move for customers at the restaurant chain.
—Isabel Yip, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026
At the start of a tournament that's bound to bust plenty of brackets, there's one safe bet.
—Noel Brennan, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for busted
Adjective
-
Homecoming for Pope Jordan Pope scored 12 points in 33 minutes for Texas playing in his native Bay Area, coming back after suffering a broken foot late in a second-round win over Gonzaga.—
Janie McCauley,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Gertie’s broken tail was a desperate and heartbreaking sign of her relief and gratitude, the news release stated.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
After all, his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, demoted him as a working royal but didn’t do much else and provided him with the money to pay a settlement to Virginia Giuffre.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Just beware of adding something really wacky—like raisins—or you’ll be put on potluck probation and demoted to plate-and-napkin duty.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The three runners whose chances of victory were ruined — Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat — are now invited to compete at the 2026 World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen in September.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
31 Mar. 2026
-
That passive-aggressive email ruined your mood, but the feedback about your project was pretty accurate.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The strikes temporarily disrupted the spacecraft’s electrical systems, but quick action by mission control kept the mission on track.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
But oil bound for Asia from this new exit point still has to pass through Bab el-Mandeb to avoid the long way around, meaning it could be disrupted.—
Flavio Macau,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Video and witness statements, police said, revealed that Hussain was assaulted in the building’s lobby, struck and knocked to the ground before being forced toward his apartment.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Then in 1998, Buttered Popcorn knocked it from the top spot.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Aaron Alex, 26, of Dallas; Bronya Freeman, 24, of Dallas; and Jay Jones, 28, of Lancaster, were arrested March 22 after a five-month investigation, police said.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Over the course of two weeks, two Laurel Highlands teachers were arrested after being accused of having inappropriate relationships with students.—
Ricky Sayer,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Prosecutors argue that Duckett was a monster in disguise who abused the badge and brutally raped and killed Teresa before dumping her body in a lake.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Tariq’s father, Azim Khamisa, a businessman, forgave the young man who killed his son and has spent his life working to prevent youth violence.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Video apparently taken in the aftermath of a second bus shelter crash published by Block Club Chicago and CBS News this week shows a stationary Coco robot next to a pile of shattered glass beneath the bus shelter.—
Talia Soglin,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
On Tuesday, another one of these lunchboxes on wheels seems to have smashed into a bus shelter and rained shattered glass all over the sidewalk.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Busted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/busted. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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