1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
delivered a bust to the boxer's chops
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in disaster
something that has failed
the first movie was a hit, but the sequel was an unexpected bust
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in arrest
slang
the act of taking or holding under one's control by authority of law
those lowlifes were nabbed for drug dealing in a massive bust last month
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in spree
a bout of prolonged or excessive drinking
a bunch of underage kids having a beer bust while the parents were away for the weekend
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to reduce
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 to bankrupt
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 to disrupt
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 to hit
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 to arrest
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 to wear
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
variants
or busted
as in bankrupt
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of bust
Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
An immigration activist who works with community organizers in Oklahoma City to track ICE arrests and activities said the bust in the Asian district was conducted by Drug Enforcement Agency officers, not ICE, but that ICE was present, as those being arrested were immigrants.
—Ben Fenwick, Oklahoma Watch, 18 Feb. 2026
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Feb. 2026
No one busted more for the Dolphins than Jordan in recent years.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 20 Feb. 2026
Dallas Morning News, 8 Jan. 2026
Their economy is bust, their economy is no good.
—ABC News, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bust
Noun
After a bit of a winter bust, more than a foot of snow fell onto the Big Bear Resort between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
An immigration activist who works with community organizers in Oklahoma City to track ICE arrests and activities said the bust in the Asian district was conducted by Drug Enforcement Agency officers, not ICE, but that ICE was present, as those being arrested were immigrants.
—Ben Fenwick, Oklahoma Watch, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
The streamer has produced Oscar winners and gut-busting comedies in equal measure.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Feb. 2026
No one busted more for the Dolphins than Jordan in recent years.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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
Their economy is bust, their economy is no good.
—ABC News, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bust
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bust
Noun
-
Decades of Western sanctions had already left the country isolated and economically battered before American and Israeli strikes in June 2025 dealt his rule a severe blow.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
1 Mar. 2026
-
But the draw is a blow to Leverkusen’s hopes of reaching fourth place in the race for Champions League qualification.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And the bipartisan Washington consensus eschews reforms in favor of praying that the economy magically grows its way out of this fiscal disaster.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Hundreds of agency staff, including those involved with disaster recovery efforts, have been grounded.—
Brianna Sacks,
Washington Post,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Alfredo Muñoz has multiple prior arrests for burglary, assault, vehicle theft and weapons and drug offenses as well as resisting arrest, according to court records.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Feb. 2026
-
She is accused of colluding with foreign forces and police have offered a bounty of HK$1 million ($128,000) for her arrest.—
Reuters 7 hr ago,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
David Allen Funston cruised Sacramento-area streets during a 1995 crime spree, luring children into his car with toys, dolls and sweets.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Hill, arrested the same day, was identified in surveillance stills from the night of the slayings by a police officer who arrested him days after the killings, wearing clothing identical to the clothing worn during the spree, authorities said.—
William Lee,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But in the long run, that doesn’t do anything to dismantle networks of criminality or reduce the size of their operations.—
Angélica Durán-Martínez,
The Conversation,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Others have sought to use cloud seeding to disperse fog at airports, tackle air pollution, reduce hail damage or even to manipulate the weather for major events, such as the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
When McIntyre filed a civil suit against Wyandotte County, a judge ordered settlement talks, fearing that a hefty jury verdict might bankrupt the struggling county.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
18 Feb. 2026
-
But the question of how to get landlords to deliver this housing without bankrupting their buildings matters just as much.—
Michael Powell,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
While fears over how artificial intelligence models from Anthropic and OpenAI could disrupt a myriad of industries — especially software firms — have churned markets in recent weeks, the broader S&P 500 isn’t far off from its all-time record level.—
Hugh Son,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Authorities and witnesses reported burning vehicles, road blockades and attacks meant to disrupt security forces and restrict movement.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In the bottom of the inning, Temo Becerra, a senior, hit just his fourth collegiate homer with a shot into the Crawford Boxes in left field.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
28 Feb. 2026
-
The heated rivalry between the Pentagon and Anthropic just hit a new horizon Friday.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bust. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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