1
as in reducing
to bring to a lower grade or rank
the commander threatened to bust her for failing to salute
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of busting
Plus, the announcement came toward the tail end of yet another massive year for Bad Bunny — after a triumphant 31-date residency in Puerto Rico, an Amazon stream of the concert that broke records, and the blockbuster success of his chart-busting album Debí Tirar Más Fotos.
—
Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2025
Trustee Demetrio Gonzalez Hoy, the lone vote against the measure, warned that tripling the daily substitute teacher rate could be seen as a union busting tactic that would also encourage staff to strike longer.
—Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2025
That means busting into the paint and kicking out from there.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Tech’s pollution-busting process amounts to the elimination of 2245ppm of CO2 in less than 10 hours and more than 20 percent of NOx by a 30g sample of the material.
—Jennifer Bringle, Sourcing Journal, 14 Oct. 2025
Weaver appeared on the Main Stage, where co-star Veronica Cartwright made a surprise appearance as Weaver mostly shared her memories and reflections on filming the genre-busting 1979 classic directed by Ridley Scott, as well as other entries in the franchise.
—Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025
Via a berry fruit complex, vitamin C, coconut oil, shea butter, and murumuru seed butter, this has all the makings of a restorative, dryness-busting lip treatment.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2025
His appearances on Kill Tony, a podcast hosted by the comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, helped raise his profile; the show has achieved both a huge listenership and notoriety for its crude, taboo-busting sensibility.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2025
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
Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2025
Trustee Demetrio Gonzalez Hoy, the lone vote against the measure, warned that tripling the daily substitute teacher rate could be seen as a union busting tactic that would also encourage staff to strike longer.
—Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2025
That means busting into the paint and kicking out from there.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Tech’s pollution-busting process amounts to the elimination of 2245ppm of CO2 in less than 10 hours and more than 20 percent of NOx by a 30g sample of the material.
—Jennifer Bringle, Sourcing Journal, 14 Oct. 2025
Weaver appeared on the Main Stage, where co-star Veronica Cartwright made a surprise appearance as Weaver mostly shared her memories and reflections on filming the genre-busting 1979 classic directed by Ridley Scott, as well as other entries in the franchise.
—Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025
Via a berry fruit complex, vitamin C, coconut oil, shea butter, and murumuru seed butter, this has all the makings of a restorative, dryness-busting lip treatment.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2025
His appearances on Kill Tony, a podcast hosted by the comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, helped raise his profile; the show has achieved both a huge listenership and notoriety for its crude, taboo-busting sensibility.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for busting
Verb
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The government’s lawyers argued the ruling effectively guts a statute aimed at reducing gun violence by preventing unlawful drug users from wielding firearms.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The firm’s post-weave colorization system preserves the authentic look, feel, and durability of conventional denim while drastically reducing environmental impact.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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See video … WATCH TOM HOMAN – With a secure border, the US is bankrupting cartels.—
,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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Yet either change could risk bankrupting the program.—
Nathaniel Weixel,
The Hill,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This groundbreaking method could transform the way researchers study complex diseases, including cancer, without disrupting natural cellular processes.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
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There has been a history of computer problems disrupting flights in the industry, though most of the time the disruptions are only temporary.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Gausman had retired 17 straight Dodger batters until the seventh inning, when Smith yet again got the best of him, hitting a solo home run to break the stale mate.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
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The singing voices behind KPop Demon Hunters' beloved girl group HUNTR/X will be hitting the stage to perform live in concert for the first time.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Police arresting a pile of mac and cheese.—
Kimberly Richardson,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
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As the first episode unfolds, Piest's mom's actions lead to police questioning Gacy and eventually arresting him just days after the teenager's disappearance.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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By refusing to specify details of the case, the government keeps the possibility alive of changing their reasoning or their claims to have the same effect for different reasons—just as the mob changes its reasoning for killing Cinna.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
23 Oct. 2025
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Local police and first responders are also accused of failing to take Davis’ threats of killing someone seriously.—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Considering this poor return (scoring points was a key target in demoting Doohan for Colapinto), Briatore acknowledged during the Dutch GP weekend that Alpine may have unnecessarily burdened its young Argentine driver.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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Spirit has been looking for ways to slash costs, including furloughing and demoting hundreds more pilots and cutting unprofitable routes.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Be sure to allow 20-30 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the dark, and use a red light if needed in order to avoid ruining your night vision.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
20 Oct. 2025
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Last offseason, the narrative that the Los Angeles Dodgers were ruining baseball was born.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Busting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/busting. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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