Synonyms of busts

busts 1 of 2

noun

plural of bust

1

as in blows

a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument

delivered a bust to the boxer's chops

Synonyms & Similar Words

• blows
• punches
• slaps
• hits
• thumps
• swipes
• thuds
• knocks
• whacks
• pounds
• strokes
• smacks
• bangs
• pokes
• licks
• spanks
• slams
• beats
• clips
• chops
• claps
• hooks
• cuffs
• kicks
• pelts
• raps
• swats
• hacks
• lashes
• biffs
• socks
• belts
• switches
• bashes
• picks
• bops
• smashes
• cracks
• bats
• whams
• hands
• plumps
• slugs
• thwacks
• fillips
• knees
• buffets
• haymakers
• stripes
• clouts
• boxes
• welts
• dabs
• lickings
• whops
• stingers
• swings
• douses
• wallops
• beatings
• larrups
• counterblows
• counters
• counterstrokes
• sucker punches
• body blows
• rabbit punches
• roundhouses
• lefts
• counterpunches
• whips
• shivers
• uppercuts
• rights
• crunchers
• batterings
• knockdowns
• pastings
• whippings
• KOs
• thrashings
• knockouts
• drubbings
• bastinadoes
• sidewinders
• kayos
• right-handers
• wallopings
• one-twos

2

as in disasters

something that has failed

the first movie was a hit, but the sequel was an unexpected bust

Synonyms & Similar Words

• disasters
• failures
• bombs
• disappointments
• losers
• catastrophes
• shipwrecks
• flops
• washouts
• fiascoes
• frosts
• misses
• duds
• lemons
• debacles
• messes
• clinkers
• clunkers
• turkeys
• bummers
• fizzles
• dogs
• shambles
• hashes
• has-beens
• botches
• near misses
• muddles
• also-rans
• nonevents
• nonstarters

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hits
• successes
• winners
• blockbusters
• smashes
• phenomena
• dandies
• corkers
• crackerjacks
• jim-dandies

3

as in arrests

slang the act of taking or holding under one's control by authority of law

those lowlifes were nabbed for drug dealing in a massive bust last month

Synonyms & Similar Words

• arrests
• raids
• arrestments
• apprehensions
• collars
• pinches
• seizures
• restraints
• captures
• imprisonments
• incarcerations
• house arrests
• rearrests
• entrapments
• confinements
• detentions
• captivities
• remands
• holds
• enchainments
• immurements

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• discharges
• releases
• liberations
• emancipations

4

as in sprees

a bout of prolonged or excessive drinking

a bunch of underage kids having a beer bust while the parents were away for the weekend

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sprees
• drunks
• binges
• benders
• carouses
• carousals
• toots
• wassails
• jamborees
• revels
• blowouts
• orgies
• keggers
• revelries
• jags
• bacchanalia
• intoxications
• inebriations
• inebrieties
• bibberies

busts

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of bust

1

as in reduces

to bring to a lower grade or rank

the commander threatened to bust her for failing to salute

Synonyms & Similar Words

• reduces
• demotes
• downgrades
• dismisses
• sacks
• breaks
• degrades
• fires
• disrates
• cans
• downsizes
• lays off
• humiliates
• lowers
• humbles
• debases
• cashiers
• demeans
• abases

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• advances
• raises
• promotes
• elevates
• hires

2

as in bankrupts

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

• bankrupts
• ruins
• breaks
• reduces
• beggars
• impoverishes
• cleans (out)
• pauperizes
• wipes out
• straitens

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• enriches
• richens

3

as in disrupts

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

• disrupts
• breaks
• fractures
• fragments
• destroys
• reduces
• disintegrates
• shatters
• ruins
• smashes
• breaks up
• splits
• crushes
• blasts
• bursts
• explodes
• pops
• dismembers
• cracks
• rives
• grinds
• wrecks
• chips
• pulverizes
• powders
• detonates
• blows up
• shivers
• atomizes
• implodes
• splinters
• slivers

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• repairs
• doctors
• fixes
• rebuilds
• heals
• reconstructs
• mends
• patches
• renovates
• reconditions

4

as in hits

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

• hits
• slaps
• knocks
• bangs
• smacks
• slams
• punches
• claps
• clips
• whacks
• strikes
• pounds
• cracks
• swipes
• kicks
• bats
• bashes
• boxes
• nails
• thumps
• taps
• raps
• hammers
• bonks
• licks
• shoves
• chops
• flicks
• pokes
• bops
• thwacks
• socks
• swats
• slugs
• pushes
• clocks
• belts
• zaps
• tags
• clouts
• clobbers
• bobs
• bludgeons
• biffs
• jabs
• stabs
• pastes
• bumps
• wallops
• smites
• whales
• strokes
• slogs
• cuffs
• mauls
• beats
• butts
• knees
• pelts
• pummels
• peppers
• hangs one on
• stamps
• roughs
• dumps
• buffets
• jostles
• slashes
• batters
• drubs
• lashes
• lambastes
• decks
• laces
• mangles
• whips
• scuffs
• bungs
• bunts
• clubs
• creams
• conks
• levels
• skulls
• prods
• brains
• pommels
• bowls (down or over)
• floors
• canes
• beans
• knocks down
• switches
• flails
• spears
• fells
• sucker punches
• flogs
• saps
• thrashes
• sledgehammers
• cudgels
• rabbit-punches
• sledges

5

as in seizes

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

• arrests
• seizes
• grabs
• apprehends
• restrains
• detains
• pinches
• collars
• nails
• runs in
• nabs
• captures
• snatches
• nicks
• commits
• traps
• catches
• picks up
• jails
• pulls in
• lands
• bags
• hooks
• imprisons
• snares
• confines
• incarcerates
• handcuffs
• snaps (up)
• locks (up)
• jugs
• gets
• grapples
• holds
• interns
• binds
• shackles
• fetters
• enchains
• immures
• remands
• rearrests
• trammels
• manacles

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• discharges
• springs
• releases
• liberates
• frees
• loosens
• looses
• emancipates
• unbinds
• unchains

6

as in wears

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

• wears
• kills
• exhausts
• tires
• drains
• breaks
• knocks out
• burns out
• harasses
• fatigues
• wearies
• wears out
• washes out
• wastes
• outwears
• fags
• does in
• tuckers (out)
• wears to a frazzle
• weakens
• does up
• frazzles
• saps
• debilitates
• enfeebles
• enervates

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• activates
• strengthens
• energizes
• rests
• invigorates
• relaxes
• vitalizes
• rejuvenates
• unwinds

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of busts

Noun

The list includes notable draft busts like JaMarcus Russell (31 games), Jason Smith (29), Dion Jordan (26), Jeff Okudah (25), Justin Blackmon (20) and Charles Rogers (15). — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026

In the time since, there have been booms and busts, but every year there are more great games to play, more devices to play them, and best of all, more people than ever playing. — Tom Warren, The Verge, 13 Oct. 2026

Milena Canonero’s Oscar-winning costumes dress mannequins modeled on Kirsten Dunst and Jason Schwartzman, positioned beneath historical portraits and busts in the very rooms where the real figures once danced and broke bread. — Ben Croll, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026

The belvedere, the Terrace of Infinity, is crowned by a series of marble busts, and while the Amalfi Coast isn’t lacking in postcard-perfect viewpoints, this staggering spot rising nearly 1,200 feet above the Mediterranean is a scene-stealer. — Lane Nieset, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Sep. 2026

Instead, in one crucial scene, Lion delivers a speech that myth-busts perfectionism to the kids’ parents, who are unmoved. — Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026

The last thing the secondary wants to do is allow a quarterback struggling with his confidence to build it up because of coverage busts. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026

It’s been such an unsteady year, Andrew Friedman’s two big offseason acquisitions have been busts. — Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026

But for anyone disturbed by the way To Catch a Predator executes its faux-law enforcement busts, the movie risks becoming viscerally unpleasant. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026

Verb

Jordan Dejesus busts a 51 yard run for Winter Park and the Wildcats are inside the red zone. — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026

The Rolling Stones frontman busts a move in a new video beneath a glittering disco ball. — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 2026

Neighbors are worried the next crash could be the one that busts through their wall or hurts someone who lives in one of the nearby homes. — Drew Aunkst, CBS News, 28 June 2026

Mighty Real includes an amusing anecdote about trying to finagle an interview with New Order’s Bernard Sumner in the early ’80s when bassist Peter Hook busts in and shows you his uncut willie. — Alfred Soto, Pitchfork, 24 June 2026

As Sky and Paula are processing this information, Ashley busts in from the other room, gun trained on Paula. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 10 June 2026

Their fortunes flourish in boom times and fall when the economy busts. — Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026

Who doesn’t get fired up when the coach busts a move, right? — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026

This is the kind of guy who kicks down a door and busts somebody’s kidney with a crowbar. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2025