bustling 1 of 2

adjective

ˈbəs-liŋ How to pronounce bustling (audio)
Definition of bustlingnext
1
as in busy
involved in often constant activity a bustling greeter was there to welcome guests to the grand opening

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in buzzing
marked by much life, movement, or activity a bustling shopping center during the Christmas season

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bustling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of bustle
1
as in bursting
to be copiously supplied on Saturdays the city's downtown bustles with activity as a farmers' market sets up shop

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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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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 bustling
Adjective
West Side homeless encampment At the bustling encampment on West 45th Street at 11th Avenue, people shave with water from a hydrant and use strips of plastic and cardboard to find shade. — Dave Carlin, CBS News, 13 July 2026 While Baltimore still had a bustling downtown shopping scene on Howard Street, the business community saw the potential of new markets and shoppers who did not want to pay downtown parking fees or ride public transit. — Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 10 July 2026
Verb
Rounding out the top three was Wilmington Riverwalk, which earned praise for its waterfront views of the Cape Fear River, historic downtown and bustling riverfront as the evening light reflects off the water. — Evan Moore august 5, Charlotte Observer, 5 Aug. 2026 Other images capture Eilish walking down the street alongside women dressed in colorful vintage outfits, helping recreate the bustling atmosphere of the 1950s New York City setting depicted in Plath’s novel. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bustling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bustling
  1. busy
  2. buzzing
  3. bursting
  4. hurrying
  5. engaged
  6. vibrant
  7. teeming
  8. traveling
Adjective
  • The executive noted that at many busy airports, there is no room for building new terminals and hangars or extending ramp space, making acquisitions the only way to gain entry.
    — Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The micro-hotel is housed in a slate gray building on busy Avenida Revolución in the former Hotel Lafayette (the neon sign remains).
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of busy
Adjective
  • Over the decades, the equipment evolved into today’s version of the sport, featuring a beeping softball and four-foot-tall buzzing foam bases that guide players through sound.
    — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Different vibration patterns identify each hazard The patch does not use the same buzzing sensation for every warning.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of buzzing
Verb
  • Rook’s Rest or Rhaenys on Meleys, bursting through the Dragonpit and killing scores of smallfolk.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Security camera footage shared by Something Fishy Pets on Facebook shows the massive tank suddenly bursting and flooding a large part of the facility as a worker runs to help.
    — Hannah Hudnall, USA Today, 30 July 2026
Definition of bursting
Verb
  • Set over the course of eight years (including the lockdown period during COVID), Herry’s film unfolds fluidly, neither hurrying scenes up unnecessarily, nor lingering too long on any incident.
    — Tomris Laffly, Variety, 17 May 2026
  • No point hurrying toward a resolution that was always receding.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Definition of hurrying
Adjective
  • This isn't a willpower failure but deliberate product engineering, leveraging loss aversion to keep users engaged.
    — Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Do a variety of exercise activities to keep yourself engaged.
    — Angela Ryan Lee, Verywell Health, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of engaged
Adjective
  • Add a burst of brightness to a quieter color scheme by way of vibrant shoes like the chartreuse wedges above.
    — Amber Rambharose, InStyle, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Chili is molly-whopped into a substantive dish of various beans, bell peppers and tomatoes served with a vibrant sauce of yogurt, avocado, cucumber and lime.
    — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of vibrant
Verb
  • Tucked into the southern end of the teeming, alluvial Willamette River valley, the region’s natural abundance began attracting farmers in the mid-nineteenth century.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
  • These sentences are part of a four-plus-page descriptive riff, one of many passages that lend the novel a teeming, avid opacity.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 9 July 2026
Definition of teeming
Verb
  • And for broadcast leaders, please keep investing in reporters and tools to serve the traveling public.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The Toyota sideswiped another vehicle traveling in the opposite direction and lost control, striking Bowling near 35th Avenue and Mangels Avenue, the Oakland police previously told PEOPLE.
    — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of traveling

Browse Nearby Words

bustles
bustling
busts
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Cite this Entry

“Bustling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bustling. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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