1
as in busy
involved in often constant activity
a bustling greeter was there to welcome guests to the grand opening
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in buzzing
marked by much life, movement, or activity
a bustling shopping center during the Christmas season
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in bursting
to be copiously supplied
on Saturdays the city's downtown bustles with activity as a farmers' market sets up shop
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hurrying
to proceed or move quickly
the hostess bustled about, taking care of last-minute preparations for the party
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bustling
Bob Carlton, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2026
For baby boomers who love the idea of Florida but want the classic coastal experience, there’s Tampa, a bustling city with access to Tampa Bay and the Gulf.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2026
Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2026
Near the Altona station in Hamburg on March 31, an otherwise normal day on Grosse Bergstrasse — a main shopping center in the German city — quickly turned dire when a wolf appeared on the bustling street and attacked a woman, per the BBC and The Associated Press.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bustling
Adjective
Frank went on to open his refined Italian eatery, Bottega, and his bustling French brasserie, Chez Fonfon.
—Bob Carlton, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2026
For baby boomers who love the idea of Florida but want the classic coastal experience, there’s Tampa, a bustling city with access to Tampa Bay and the Gulf.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
Inside, the warehouse was bustling and fragrant.
—Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2026
Near the Altona station in Hamburg on March 31, an otherwise normal day on Grosse Bergstrasse — a main shopping center in the German city — quickly turned dire when a wolf appeared on the bustling street and attacked a woman, per the BBC and The Associated Press.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bustling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bustling
Adjective
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With busy schedules, sitting down to eat a meal as a family can be tricky and cause feelings of guilt.—
Dr. Sarah Kinsella,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Each carried one passenger in the back seat, all of them busy on their phones.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
On the handful of occasions in each game between them when Jokic catches at the elbow and his teammates clear out, an anxious hush invariably falls over a buzzing arena.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
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Even the most cursory tour of local highlights will take you from the 2,000-year-old remains of Emperor Tiberius's cliff-top Villa Jovis to the still-buzzing purveyor of Jackie Kennedy's iconic sandals—Canfora, which anchors the Via Camerelle luxury shopping corridor.—
Elizabeth Heath,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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No, the club's horticulture staff does not pack them in ice to keep the blooms from bursting before the Masters.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
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In a quintet of fine performances, his stands out in this moment so removed from when Becky Shaw debuted (2008 was not bursting at the seams with essays on our crisis of masculinity).—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
No point hurrying toward a resolution that was always receding.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Instead of hurrying to break up tents and scatter RVs, Lee and Oakland’s interim homelessness chief Sasha Hauswald want city workers to focus on minimizing trash and human waste around encampments.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In a new dark comedy (now in theaters) from Dream Scenario director Kristoffer Borgli, Robert Pattinson and Zendaya play Charlie and Emma, an engaged couple whose wedding plans are thrown into disarray when the latter makes a disturbing confession.—
Tiffany Kelly,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Apr. 2026
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Performance Data Helps Teams Focus on What Works Content strategy can become more effective when teams identify which pages attract attention, which channels drive visits, and which topics keep users engaged and loyal.—
William Jones,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The vibrant Sun in your 5th House of Artistry squares merry Jupiter in your 8th House of Trust, raising questions about fairness in money and sharing.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
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From subtle variations to vibrant color combinations, there's a chrome pink nail design for every aesthetic.—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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To accept that there will always be creatures teeming nearby, some of them agonizing, expelled from their days.—
María Ospina,
The Dial,
31 Mar. 2026
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Mason evokes the vibrant street scene vividly, with archive footage of the area’s teeming bars and even a nod to the Donut Time store immortalized in Sean Baker’s transgender High Noon story Tangerine.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The memorial includes two metal American flag signs on the Cloverdale Road overpass that drivers can see while traveling the Interstate, one in each direction.—
Rose Evans
April 4,
Idaho Statesman,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Want to learn something new while traveling?—
Julie Bielenberg,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bustling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bustling. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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