1
as in bursting
to be copiously supplied
a recent college grad thrilled to be starting a new life in a city bristling with possibilities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in storming
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
as in bristly
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 bristling
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Spicomellus had a back that was probably bristling with sharper spines, along with far larger ones along its outer edges.
—ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2025
With the neighborhood already bristling with all kinds of MLRS, that will no doubt be the case.
—Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
During a standout setpiece at the restaurant — opened after hours for the celebrity couple, to the bristling resentment of the staff — Tony sufficiently ingratiates himself with the Americans that Jack agrees to read Amin’s script.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
And as politicians, these Supreme Court Justices are especially bristling, equivocating, and entitled, which doesn’t make for trustworthy narration.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
That gives it a bristling relevance.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Like Laura bristling at Cherry taking her place by Daniel’s side, Michaela’s fury at Simone’s striving is twofold.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Spicomellus had a back that was probably bristling with sharper spines, along with far larger ones along its outer edges.
—ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2025
With the neighborhood already bristling with all kinds of MLRS, that will no doubt be the case.
—Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
During a standout setpiece at the restaurant — opened after hours for the celebrity couple, to the bristling resentment of the staff — Tony sufficiently ingratiates himself with the Americans that Jack agrees to read Amin’s script.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
And as politicians, these Supreme Court Justices are especially bristling, equivocating, and entitled, which doesn’t make for trustworthy narration.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bristling
Verb
-
Finish the look with a fall wreath bursting with harvest blooms.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Meanwhile, the Enchanted glittered with edible pink shimmer dust, and bursting with fruity, botanical flavors – Grey Goose with watermelon basil essences, vermouth and basil.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Get Devastating George Kittle Injury News The SEC fined Mississippi State $500,000 on Monday for the field-storming incident, according to On3.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
-
On August 18th, Cindy Romero, an American tenant of CBZ’s Dallas Street property, recorded a video of six men with rifles storming a hallway in her building.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But that hypothesis, Harland wrote in a bristly 1964 Scientific American article, was not supported by any concrete evidence.—
Laura Poppick
July 22,
Literary Hub,
22 July 2025
-
Step 3: Tidy the Harvest When the garlic is fully cured with papery skins and brittle, brown leaves, brush away any excess soil with your fingers and clip back the bristly roots.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Aug. 2024
Verb
-
Within minutes, the inbox starts buzzing, and they get pulled into a flood of urgent emails.—
Wilson Luna,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
His new social media activity has the wrestling world buzzing about a potential return to the company.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Dry washes, streams, and rivers can become raging killer currents in a matter of minutes, even from distant rainfall.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
-
On Wednesday night, the 2023 US Open winner and reigning French Open champion hosted a raging New York Fashion Week party to unveil a personalized collection of her favorite clothes and accessories for Miu Miu Select.—
Paul Chi,
Vogue,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
This means that voters and Congress members alike are driven not so much by loyalty to their own party but instead a sort of seething hatred for the other political party.—
Charlie Hunt,
The Conversation,
13 June 2025
-
Bateman's seething anger at having his card bested by that of his colleague Paul Allen (Jared Leto), despite the two cards looking almost identical, satirized the vacuous materialism of 1980s yuppie culture.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 June 2025
Verb
-
Kering has been dragged down by steep declines at its star brand and a bulging debt load, forcing the group to shutter stores, offload real estate and reduce headcount after a dismal start to the year that saw group net profit plummet 46 percent in the first half.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
14 Sep. 2025
-
To be a real man, according to this content, young adolescent boys are expected to be tall and broad-shouldered with bulging biceps, pronounced trapezius muscles, and washboard abs.—
Ashleigh N. DeLuca,
Parents,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
And just like their surroundings, the best hotels in Vermont are brimming with charm.—
Elly Leavitt,
Vogue,
12 Sep. 2025
-
His restaurant sits in the courtyard of the Hotel Saint Augustine, an airy, modernist space brimming with sagebrush.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bristling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bristling. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share