1
as in reducing
to bring to a lower grade or rank
the commander threatened to bust her for failing to salute
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bankrupting
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
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3
as in disrupting
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
the butterfingered husband had busted more plates than he cared to remember
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4
as in hitting
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
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5
as in arresting
slang
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
the cops busted the revelers for drinking in public
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6
as in killing
to use up all the physical energy of
I had to bust my butt in order to get the project done on time
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of busting
In contrast, busting siloes between business functions can unlock real-time insights.
—
Sj Studio, Sourcing Journal, 10 Mar. 2026
Iran was clearly prepared, especially after the Twelve-Day War, last June, when the President ordered B-2 stealth warplanes to drop bunker-busting bombs on nuclear facilities in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan.
—Robin Wright, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
Now, busting the budget is a lofty promise with multiple interpretations.
—Nick Harris
march 6, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2026
The tape opens with a shirtless Frankie doing a Kubrick stare down the barrel of the camera before busting a groove with the city of Los Angeles sprawling behind him.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 4 Mar. 2026
His frequent rollouts of cartel-busting exploits have become a hallmark of her administration.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Finally, in September 2024, after months of tit-for-tat attacks, Netanyahu launched a full-fledged campaign against Hezbollah, complete with exploding beepers and bunker-busting bombs.
—Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
Here’s a look at how each of them stack up, and which ones could be busting brackets come Selection Sunday.
—Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2026
And it could also be combined with other stress-busting activities like jogging, yoga, or meditation, Langenecker says.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 2 Mar. 2026
Sj Studio, Sourcing Journal, 10 Mar. 2026
Iran was clearly prepared, especially after the Twelve-Day War, last June, when the President ordered B-2 stealth warplanes to drop bunker-busting bombs on nuclear facilities in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan.
—Robin Wright, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
Now, busting the budget is a lofty promise with multiple interpretations.
—Nick Harris
march 6, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2026
The tape opens with a shirtless Frankie doing a Kubrick stare down the barrel of the camera before busting a groove with the city of Los Angeles sprawling behind him.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 4 Mar. 2026
His frequent rollouts of cartel-busting exploits have become a hallmark of her administration.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Finally, in September 2024, after months of tit-for-tat attacks, Netanyahu launched a full-fledged campaign against Hezbollah, complete with exploding beepers and bunker-busting bombs.
—Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
Here’s a look at how each of them stack up, and which ones could be busting brackets come Selection Sunday.
—Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2026
And it could also be combined with other stress-busting activities like jogging, yoga, or meditation, Langenecker says.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 2 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for busting
Verb
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Many gardeners embrace biodiversity in turf areas to support pollinators, birds, and other wildlife while reducing the inputs needed for lawn maintenance.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
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That means potentially shutting down or reducing ice time for some of its biggest stars who are playing through nagging injuries.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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The indictment, unsealed in a federal courthouse in New York on Thursday, accuses Patrick James and Edward James of bankrupting First Brands and fraudulently obtaining billions of dollars behind the backs of the company's lenders and financing partners.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The beams would be far brighter than the full moon and, even if carefully pointed, would scatter in the atmosphere to be very bright off-beam, disrupting wildlife and effectively destroying the sky’s remaining natural beauty by erasing the stars from our sight.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
6 Mar. 2026
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Then, last summer, LA became the first major US city to face large-scale ICE raids, stoking fear among undocumented immigrants and disrupting the restaurant workforce.—
Emily Wilson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Iran has repeatedly denied targeting oil infrastructure and other civilian targets in the war, despite its drone and missile fire hitting those sites.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
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At the same time, Anderson recruited Burkle as the heavy hitting investor behind a counteroffer to keep the team in Sacramento that ultimately fell through after Burkle pulled out.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Casa Malca remains one of the most visually arresting addresses right on the beach, with 70 suites.—
Gina Góngora,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
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Our Top Picks Nordic Knots’s elegant Scandinavian style (and penchant for arresting patterns) have made their rugs a hot commodity among design lovers like the AD team since their inception in 2016.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Three glide bombs struck the center of the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk, killing four people, the head of the Donetsk regional military administration, Vadym Filashkin, said Tuesday.—
HANNA ARHIROVA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
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Most of the strikes occur in the summer, killing 20 people each year, according to the NWS.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In late January, the president put border czar Tom Homan in charge of the crackdown, effectively demoting the Border Patrol’s Greg Bovino.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
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Once Watson and Gordon are both back, Watson will probably be coming off the bench for the first time since mid-November, unless Adelman wants to make a more dramatic change by demoting someone from his starting lineup.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Trump has long mocked Bush for ruining his presidency by invading Iraq, and his administration over the past week has sought to downplay any parallels between Bush’s misadventures and its own attack on Iran.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
6 Mar. 2026
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The White House believed that that Iran was intentionally ruining the Mideast peace process, and then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich had called Iran the most dangerous nation on Earth.—
Brit McCandless Farmer,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Busting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/busting. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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