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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of busted
Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 1 June 2026
Moore suffered a possible broken nose and busted lip, the warrant said.
—Charlotte Observer, 1 June 2026
Makar may be part cyborg, but even the tightest machines can’t hide a busted axle.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 20 May 2026
Here is the story of Eternally Yours, the first-ever busted script featured on Dead Pilots Society to subsequently make it to series.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 1 May 2026
Anyone with a busted NCAA Tournament bracket can still appreciate the bracket one mom has put up on her family's wall in Chicago's southwest suburbs.
—Noel Brennan, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
McAneney had a busted lip and a scratch underneath his right eye in his mugshot.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Offices are buzzing about busted brackets, surprise upsets, Cinderella stories, and who’s cutting down the nets.
—Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
Each year, March Madness can leave you with a busted bracket, so give yourself another chance to pick a winner with The Courier Journal's Louisville nachos tournament.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Mar. 2026
ABC News, 12 June 2026
The 24-year-old’s burning desire, elite athleticism, and an electrifying season at Triple-A Albuquerque busted down the big-league door.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 10 June 2026
Ravenous, flesh-eating flies have busted through containment barriers and have now reemerged in the US.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026
Chwalińska was the symbol of a tournament busted wide open, a chaotic conflagration of all the forces of women’s tennis these days, where depth causes danger from the moment the first balls fly.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 6 June 2026
The Kennedy Center is broken, unsafe, and $busted, and has been for many years!
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026
The Kennedy Center is broken, unsafe, and $busted, and has been for many years!
—Chris Willman, Variety, 30 May 2026
Just trying to bust them around a little bit.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026
LeBlanc’s homer was a two-run walk-off blast that busted a 12-12 tie.
—Gary Bedore
may 28, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2026
Adjective
The components might be familiar—guitars that sound like they’re played through a busted Zenith TV at full volume, heavy acoustic strumming à la ’90s folk-grunge group Days of the New, Slocum’s fading read-out of a voice—but they’re all pulled into slightly unusual shapes.
—Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 1 June 2026
Moore suffered a possible broken nose and busted lip, the warrant said.
—Charlotte Observer, 1 June 2026
Makar may be part cyborg, but even the tightest machines can’t hide a busted axle.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 20 May 2026
Here is the story of Eternally Yours, the first-ever busted script featured on Dead Pilots Society to subsequently make it to series.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 1 May 2026
Anyone with a busted NCAA Tournament bracket can still appreciate the bracket one mom has put up on her family's wall in Chicago's southwest suburbs.
—Noel Brennan, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
McAneney had a busted lip and a scratch underneath his right eye in his mugshot.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Offices are buzzing about busted brackets, surprise upsets, Cinderella stories, and who’s cutting down the nets.
—Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
Each year, March Madness can leave you with a busted bracket, so give yourself another chance to pick a winner with The Courier Journal's Louisville nachos tournament.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
But while a cash prize might be dangled, it's often never paid — particularly if the kid carrying out the crime gets busted.
—ABC News, 12 June 2026
The 24-year-old’s burning desire, elite athleticism, and an electrifying season at Triple-A Albuquerque busted down the big-league door.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 10 June 2026
Ravenous, flesh-eating flies have busted through containment barriers and have now reemerged in the US.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026
Chwalińska was the symbol of a tournament busted wide open, a chaotic conflagration of all the forces of women’s tennis these days, where depth causes danger from the moment the first balls fly.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 6 June 2026
The Kennedy Center is broken, unsafe, and $busted, and has been for many years!
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026
The Kennedy Center is broken, unsafe, and $busted, and has been for many years!
—Chris Willman, Variety, 30 May 2026
Just trying to bust them around a little bit.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026
LeBlanc’s homer was a two-run walk-off blast that busted a 12-12 tie.
—Gary Bedore
may 28, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for busted
Adjective
-
The foundation’s demise left a trail of broken trust throughout the region, particularly among survivors and families.—
Silas Morgan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 June 2026
-
Now, people have been crammed into around 40 percent of the space left to them — sheltering among broken buildings, rubble and mounting solid waste.—
Sarah Ferguson,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
In Monaco, Hulk finished 10th after the Great Reshuffle due to pit-lane-speeding penalties for other drivers, but was later demoted to 13th after being given a time penalty for causing a collision.—
Jerry Perez,
The Drive,
11 June 2026
-
Paula Conaway alleged she was harassed and ultimately demoted from her position as deputy chief for insisting on accountability for officers under her command.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
That's when the PAW Patrol has to step in to stop Humdinger before the island is ruined!—
Sari Hitchins,
Parents,
10 June 2026
-
But Wembanyama and the Spurs ended the streak and ruined the Knicks’ first home NBA Finals game since 1999.—
Brian Mahoney,
Chicago Tribune,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Major ash-producing eruptions have repeatedly disrupted life across the region and can affect areas far beyond the immediate danger zone.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
9 June 2026
-
The department said current emergency notification systems rely on cellular devices, radio signals, electrical connectivity and power, all of which can be disrupted by heavy smoke, power outages or damage to communication infrastructure during an emergency.—
Reeti Malhotra,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Robinson responded with a forearm to Wembanyama’s neck that either knocked him to the ground or gave sufficient cover for a flop.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
11 June 2026
-
Last September, a fire at a South Korean data center knocked 647 government services offline.—
Leonard Lim,
Fortune,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
That September, he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and possession of marijuana following a vehicle crash in San Jose.—
Michael McGough,
Sacbee.com,
14 June 2026
-
Three weeks into his third season, Smith was involved in a single-car accident and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and possession of marijuana.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
Three people were killed and 20 more people were attacked by bears across at least nine prefectures between April and June 2, according to public broadcaster NHK.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
-
Alabama's relatively new nitrogen gas execution method could inflict a cruel amount of pain and suffering on a death row inmate who says that he'd rather be killed by a firing squad, a federal appeals court has ruled.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
One of the Philippines’ strongest quakes in half a century killed at least 37 people, injured hundreds and displaced more than 32,000, as rescuers comb shattered buildings for survivors.—
Jim Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
-
Whatever just happened had already happened many times before, without the violence taking physical, visible form, without shattered glass or police.—
Andrea Bajani,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Busted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/busted. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
