as in broken
forcibly separated into many pieces
a busted headlight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also bust
1
as in demoted
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 ruined
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 disrupted
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 knocked
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 arrested
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 killed
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of busted
City News Service, Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
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.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
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
Crews spotted busted doors, hallways with no lights on, and puddles of water on the floor.
—Shardaa Gray, CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025
The final two sacks unaccounted for came on busted plays.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 27 Nov. 2025
The difference is Dart found wide open TE for easy TD on busted coverage.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025
After a holding penalty pushed the Steelers back to their own 32, Rodgers took advantage of busted coverage and threw to Freiermuth in a soft spot in the zone.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
During his time away, Mysterio also had surgery to repair a busted eardrum.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
If the Jayhawks are to win and take a 5-2 record into a contest against BYU a week from Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse, the Jayhawks must bust their losing streak at Bramlage.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2026
The LiveBarn sale had been on and off for months before going through, per a third executive, with some having claimed earlier in January that the process was busted.
—Luisa Beltran, Sportico.com, 23 Jan. 2026
The same scheme had helped the feds bust the clan’s leadership two years earlier.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
After all, adjusting your thermostat for the afternoon isn’t going to bust your energy bill for the month.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Jan. 2026
Chicago police are warning about a string of burglaries over four days last week where thieves used sledgehammers and crowbars to bust through glass front doors or windows of businesses across the city.
—Todd Feurer, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
Many shower curtain liners can be washed in the washing machine with baking soda to bust through tough grime and mildew and a towel to keep the liner from wrinkling.
—Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 19 Jan. 2026
Many probably had their brackets busted by Texas A&M's loss to Miami, then Miami's (bigger) upset of Ohio State.
—American-Statesman Staff, Austin American Statesman, 10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and CHP officers blocked off the shooting scene around a white sedan with front-end damage, a busted windshield and deployed airbags.
—City News Service, Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
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.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
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
Crews spotted busted doors, hallways with no lights on, and puddles of water on the floor.
—Shardaa Gray, CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025
The final two sacks unaccounted for came on busted plays.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 27 Nov. 2025
The difference is Dart found wide open TE for easy TD on busted coverage.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025
After a holding penalty pushed the Steelers back to their own 32, Rodgers took advantage of busted coverage and threw to Freiermuth in a soft spot in the zone.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
During his time away, Mysterio also had surgery to repair a busted eardrum.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
Brown’s entry drew the attention of Porter and Nic Claxton, which busted Brooklyn’s zone defense.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
If the Jayhawks are to win and take a 5-2 record into a contest against BYU a week from Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse, the Jayhawks must bust their losing streak at Bramlage.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2026
The LiveBarn sale had been on and off for months before going through, per a third executive, with some having claimed earlier in January that the process was busted.
—Luisa Beltran, Sportico.com, 23 Jan. 2026
The same scheme had helped the feds bust the clan’s leadership two years earlier.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
After all, adjusting your thermostat for the afternoon isn’t going to bust your energy bill for the month.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Jan. 2026
Chicago police are warning about a string of burglaries over four days last week where thieves used sledgehammers and crowbars to bust through glass front doors or windows of businesses across the city.
—Todd Feurer, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
Many shower curtain liners can be washed in the washing machine with baking soda to bust through tough grime and mildew and a towel to keep the liner from wrinkling.
—Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 19 Jan. 2026
Many probably had their brackets busted by Texas A&M's loss to Miami, then Miami's (bigger) upset of Ohio State.
—American-Statesman Staff, Austin American Statesman, 10 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for busted
Adjective
-
His high school career lasted just two games before a broken collarbone ended it prematurely.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Private insurance often covers a finite number of occupational or physical therapy sessions that would help someone recover from, say, a surgery or a broken bone.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino - who led confrontational sweeps in Los Angeles, Chicago and other cities - was demoted and will soon retire, Reuters reported.—
Kristina Cooke,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Wow, Huckleberry demoted to Fuckleberry.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Frankly, this ruined my birthday for me for the next forty years.—
Gaby Iori
January 27,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Knowing what not to wash together can save plenty of headaches (and ruined garments and linens) down the line.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
American said Monday that five of its nine hub airports were disrupted by the storm, including its largest hub at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.—
Laya Neelakandan,Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
-
If your travel is or was disrupted, here’s what airlines owe you for the inconvenience.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The styling team has knocked it out of the park yet again.—
Hannah Abraham,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
In September 2014, TMZ published a grainy elevator security video that showed Ray Rice, the star running back for the Baltimore Ravens, punching his girlfriend in the face so hard that she was knocked unconscious.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
State data show that in 2022, police arrested 1,577 repeat violent offenders.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Luis Martinez Agramonte, 25, of Dorchester, faces multiple firearm and drug possession and distribution charges after Boston Police Department officers arrested him Friday morning.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Two days shy of the one-year anniversary of a tragedy that killed 67 people near the nation’s capital, the National Transportation Safety Board will meet to determine the probable cause of the midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The fire killed two people, destroyed 1,084 homes and businesses and did more than $2 billion in property damage.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The officer then told Galane and Cline that a child was injured by the shattered glass.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Expanding the banking sector is a critical element of rebuilding Syria’s shattered economy.—
Dominic Dudley,
semafor.com,
19 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Busted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/busted. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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