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
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Recent Examples of bristles
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
This is thanks to the dense brush applicator, which is designed with both long and short bristles to comb and coat every lash from root to tip—creating a fanned-out, eye-opening effect that agrees with all lash lengths.
—Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 10 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
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
This is thanks to the dense brush applicator, which is designed with both long and short bristles to comb and coat every lash from root to tip—creating a fanned-out, eye-opening effect that agrees with all lash lengths.
—Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 10 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
-
To improve stability, the grass for the World Cup has been studded with plastic fibers, sewn in about every five millimeters by a machine that looks like a Zamboni.—
Hana Kiros,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
-
Synthetic fibers, stitched into the base, act like rebar for the natural grass, Sorochan says, helping stop the surface from tearing loose when players cut sharply or goalkeepers churn up the six-yard box.—
Chris Stokel-Walker,
Scientific American,
10 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
-
Teamwork, Facebook threads, and something just weird enough to work.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
-
Family, memory and unresolved histories form one of the strong thematic threads across the lineup.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Beside it, a neon palm tree buzzes.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
-
The Coburg Bar buzzes with a zappy, more visible, businesses-like energy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, as war rages on in the Middle East, the skies over Iran are filled with toxic fumes, Bloomberg climate reporter Laura Millan writes.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
The restriction comes as a wildfire rages about 8 miles north of Ely.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
4 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
-
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
-
Their booth brims with fragrant basil, crisp broccoli, and vibrant sunflowers at the wholesale and Saturday Market.—
Jen Crystal,
Midwest Living,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bristles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bristles. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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