bristles 1 of 2

plural of bristle
as in fibers
a thin, flexible structure that resembles a hair a hairbrush with plastic bristles

Synonyms & Similar Words

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bristles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of bristle

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
Noun
The larvae are usually about an 1/8-inch long, tan and covered in hairy bristles. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2025 Available in five colors and two smaller sizes as well, the bristles are made from stainless steel, able to navigate through those tough, matted bits of hair without causing discomfort. Christine Persaud, USA Today, 8 Oct. 2025 Dotti Best Broom & Dustpan pairs durable, easy-clean silicone bristles with an adjustable pole and a foothold dustpan that reduces bending. Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025 After stonewalling the cops searching for Chris, Alt-Auggie bristles when Harcourt calls him a Nazi, denying any support for the reigning regime. Scott Meslow, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025 The small bristles gently add product to my small lashes, and the tubing formula is great at elongating individual lashes. Grace McCarty, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025 The entrepreneurs behind Grill Rescue, a grill-cleaning tool that relies on steam cleaning rather than wire bristles, have only been advertising on Fox News Channel for a few weeks. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 29 Sep. 2025 Thick, coarse hair does best with a hot-air brush that features strong, durable bristles and tangle-free features. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025 The best holders or cups keep your brush away from countertop germs while allowing the bristles to dry thoroughly between cleanings. Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
Ross bristles at the comparison. Tom Roland, Billboard, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bristles
Noun
  • This fall Lenzing debuted Tencel HV100, a solution to texturize manmade lyocell so the fibers have a more natural cotton-like look in denim.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Items that cannot be used, including intimates, are recycled into new fibers whenever possible, or downcycled into materials such as insulation or padding.
    Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Once a cushioned conduit to the other side, the casket now bursts with the wisdom of a life lived outside the box.
    Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Later, as the film plays, the crowd bursts intermittently into laughter, cracking up at the clown-car quality of everyone piling into the van for the first time.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • After a beat, Eilish is seen yanking herself away and storms off, surrounded by security with an angry scowl on her face.
    Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Kyle storms off and vows to find whoever is responsible.
    Jack Dunn, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The threads that weave together to form the heart of the story.
    Stacy Lambe, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The Takeaway Across these threads and more, this year’s SIFF positioned children’s cinema not as an offshoot of the industry but as its conscience.
    Essie Assibu, Variety, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The air buzzes with nostalgia and pride as alumni return to the yard, reconnecting with old classmates, sharing stories, and celebrating the legacy that shaped them.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Spaces to roam are flanked by a central courtyard restaurant that buzzes with diners who feast over The House’s signature lobster pasta, moquecas (Brazilian fish stew), and cassava gnocchi.
    Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Of course, the Tilly Norwood debate rages on in Hollywood.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Or to be safe and dry as a storm rages outside?
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Yet his film, even in its omissions, brims with strategic ingenuity and daring, cinematic and political—to fight other films’ empty fantasies with substantial ones, to battle other advocates’ pernicious myths with virtuous ones.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2025
  • The month brims with bright, naked-eye visible space sights, including two meteor showers and planet-moon pairings—not to mention the roughly 11-year peak of the northern lights.
    Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 1 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bristles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bristles. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.

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