1
2
as in storms
to express one's anger usually violently
the man bristled at the accusation, and threatened to file a lawsuit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of bristles
ABC News, 16 June 2026
The bristles are pretty soft, and there's a mult-ridge tongue cleaner located on the back of the brush.
—Olivia Bria, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026
Carpet beetle larvae are usually about 1/8-inch long, tan, and covered in hairy bristles.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 10 June 2026
Avoid using metal brushes, Reichert says, because the bristles can break off and can get into your food.
—Emerson Latham, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 May 2026
In contrast, New World porcupines—those found in North and South America—have individual quills interspersed with sensory guard hairs, bristles, and underfur.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
Available in small, medium and large, this paw cleaner has silicone bristles that remove dirt from muddy paws.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
That way, the bristles can cling to your skincare products instead of dripping into the brush’s base and making a mess.
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 14 May 2026
Finding a brush with disorderly bristles to describe the mass of foliage on the tree, allowing the brush, the paper, the ink to resist the Constable lushness.
—Literary Hub, 12 May 2026
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 11 May 2026
Langley is not the kind of country singer who bristles at the genre’s conventions.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
Anderson bristles at the notion of any one-size-fits-all philosophy to correcting the problem of strikeouts.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 24 Feb. 2026
Salt, responding to this charge, bristles a touch at being called mainstream and says her taste is more complex.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 23 Feb. 2026
Shirley bristles at being labeled an influencer in press coverage.
—Mia Sato, The Verge, 29 Jan. 2026
As much as Payton bristles about media storylines and huffs about tempo questions, the Broncos went 25 minutes without a first down against Las Vegas.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 22 Nov. 2025
Ross bristles at the comparison.
—Tom Roland, Billboard, 12 Sep. 2025
Durham skillfully builds the insular world of a top Russian ballet school, and the atmosphere bristles with competition, flirtation, and intrigue.
—April Austin, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
Each silhouette is thoughtfully designed with unique features tailored to beauty and travel needs like separate packing compartments to keep products organized, palette storage for makeup, brush holders to protect bristles, travel mirrors, and removable pouches that double as chic clutches.
—ABC News, 16 June 2026
The bristles are pretty soft, and there's a mult-ridge tongue cleaner located on the back of the brush.
—Olivia Bria, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026
Carpet beetle larvae are usually about 1/8-inch long, tan, and covered in hairy bristles.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 10 June 2026
Avoid using metal brushes, Reichert says, because the bristles can break off and can get into your food.
—Emerson Latham, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 May 2026
In contrast, New World porcupines—those found in North and South America—have individual quills interspersed with sensory guard hairs, bristles, and underfur.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
Available in small, medium and large, this paw cleaner has silicone bristles that remove dirt from muddy paws.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
That way, the bristles can cling to your skincare products instead of dripping into the brush’s base and making a mess.
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 14 May 2026
Finding a brush with disorderly bristles to describe the mass of foliage on the tree, allowing the brush, the paper, the ink to resist the Constable lushness.
—Literary Hub, 12 May 2026
Verb
Still proud of her pioneer status, Val bristles at this.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 11 May 2026
Langley is not the kind of country singer who bristles at the genre’s conventions.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
Anderson bristles at the notion of any one-size-fits-all philosophy to correcting the problem of strikeouts.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 24 Feb. 2026
Salt, responding to this charge, bristles a touch at being called mainstream and says her taste is more complex.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 23 Feb. 2026
Shirley bristles at being labeled an influencer in press coverage.
—Mia Sato, The Verge, 29 Jan. 2026
As much as Payton bristles about media storylines and huffs about tempo questions, the Broncos went 25 minutes without a first down against Las Vegas.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 22 Nov. 2025
Ross bristles at the comparison.
—Tom Roland, Billboard, 12 Sep. 2025
Durham skillfully builds the insular world of a top Russian ballet school, and the atmosphere bristles with competition, flirtation, and intrigue.
—April Austin, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bristles
Noun
-
Over time, the fibers in the sheet fabric begin to break down, which leads to discoloration, unwanted odors, pilling, and tearing.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
15 June 2026
-
Cold water can help extend the life of clothing since hot water can cause more damage to fabric fibers.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Just as the pair were celebrating finally taking Evan off-island for father-son bonding time on the mainland, a knock on the door bursts their bubble.—
Benjamin VanHoose,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
-
Haaland bursts our bubble almost immediately by scoring in the opening five minutes, and Burnley miss a few good first-half chances, with striker Zian Flemming particularly culpable.—
Nnamdi Onyeagwara,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Gary ultimately storms off, but Duncan appreciates the insult, suggesting that Silicon Valley's venture capitalists love sociopaths.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 June 2026
-
The plot is based around a routine jury site visit that turns deadly when a mercenary kill team led by Hewitt (Adkins) storms the location in search of a secret ledger detailing citywide corruption.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
The frequency of horizontal gene transfer means that, in addition to the neatly branching trees that relate species by common descent, there are small threads connecting distant branches of the tree of life.—
John Timmer,
ArsTechnica,
16 June 2026
-
One of the more harrowing threads in the film involves a protagonist who is molested by a religious figure but has no recourse to justice.—
Jenny S. Li,
Variety,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Every point results in cheers and car horns– and on the eve of their past three wins, the city buzzes with a passion that’s simply irresistible, even for the bandwagon fans.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
-
The machine quietly buzzes and whizzes next to baristas who pull espresso shots.—
Jenna Thompson
June 10,
Kansas City Star,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Halfway through 2026 and the Beckham family feud still rages on.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
-
Russia's war in Ukraine, which Trump once vowed to end, rages on.—
Danielle Kurtzleben,
NPR,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a brain aneurysm is a weakened area in an artery that bulges outward and fills with blood.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Sunriver Art Fair showcases juried artists in The Village, while the Sunriver Resort Farmers Market brims with local produce and handmade goods.—
Lauren Jones,
Travel + Leisure,
14 June 2026
-
While still a pedigreed film festival boasting anticipated premieres and reunions, the docket now also brims with marquee music documentaries, appearances and performances.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bristles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bristles. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
