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
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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
Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2025
The top is incredibly stretchy and would accommodate a variety of bust sizes.
—Dory Zayas, Glamour, 11 Aug. 2025
Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
Other experts like British technology entrepreneur Azeem Azhar have compared the current capex boom to past busts.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Mark Phelan, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
Chisholm Trail’s Xavier Rodriguez was the one to bust Heights’ streak, with his touchdown with 36 seconds left in the first quarter.
—Ella Diaz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bust
Noun
Simmons said a busted coverage led to a 59-yard, first-quarter pass play by Bethune-Cookman on third-and-14.
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2025
The top is incredibly stretchy and would accommodate a variety of bust sizes.
—Dory Zayas, Glamour, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
The deep red velvet showcased her toned legs, arms and shoulders with a strapless cut with subtle ruching around the bust.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
Other experts like British technology entrepreneur Azeem Azhar have compared the current capex boom to past busts.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Despite 268 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque just busting to get out from under its hood, the 2025 Alfa Romeo Tonale sporty SUV needs an infusion of theatricality.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
Chisholm Trail’s Xavier Rodriguez was the one to bust Heights’ streak, with his touchdown with 36 seconds left in the first quarter.
—Ella Diaz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bust
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bust
Noun
-
Yes, the Seahawks entered the game short-handed in the secondary, then suffered another blow when cornerback Riq Woolen suffered a concussion in the third quarter.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Business is booming, but President Chris Kohnle worries the 80-year-old, family-run establishment could soon take a blow.—
Miranda Dunlap,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The organization focuses on the big disasters that often grip the headlines, such as wildfires, floods, and hurricanes – but also offers information about preparing for winter storms, tsunamis, tornados, lightning, hail and extreme heat.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Freeport-McMoRan is likely to rebound from an environmental disaster last month at its giant Grasberg mine in Indonesia that led the copper and gold producer to cut its production estimates, according to UBS.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
McLaughlin further alleged that Trebach blocked agents of Customs and Border Protection from carrying out their duties, and that led to her arrest.—
Oren Peleg,
New Yorker,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The real-life Watkins spoke with the Minneapolis Tribune following Gein's arrest, saying the two dated for 20 years and that Gein had even proposed to her.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Advertisement In the late 2000s, as the climate warmed further, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad loosened restrictions on well drilling and started another dam building spree.—
Nik Kowsar,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
-
When a chilling new spree of murders happens 37 years later, an older Georgia (Heather Mitchell) is pulled back into the nightmare.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Onboarding can be personalized based on the team and role, helping people get productive faster and reducing the need for additional training.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
9 Oct. 2025
-
This means targeted improvements could significantly reduce overall pollution without an industry-wide overhaul.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In the late 1830s, as a devastating financial crisis bankrupted antislavery societies across the North, the movement seemed splintered and powerless to keep up its petition pressure campaign.—
Time,
Time,
24 Sep. 2025
-
See video … WATCH TOM HOMAN – With a secure border, the US is bankrupting cartels.—
,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
On play one, Moore reads the tight end throwback pass and disrupts the catch (or else the tight end might still be running).—
Dane Brugler,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
On one hand, companies like Upwork and Fiverr have suffered as generative AI has disrupted simple contract jobs like copyediting and translation.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The ball popped up in the air and Bolton was there to grab it, except he was hit by teammate Drue Tranquill.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
7 Oct. 2025
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Hikers hit Goat Trail Hill 'n Dale Hiking Club will hike Thursday along the Goat Trail to Steel Creek on the Buffalo National River.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bust. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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