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

Visitors can witness year-round lighting ceremonies and stroll the half-mile Presidential Trail just below the granite busts of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. —Usa Today Network, USA Today, 10 June 2026

Two young men — Anthony DiPippo, then 18, and Andy Krivak, then 17, local nuisances with a handful of juvie busts for possession and public mischief — were framed for murder. —Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2026

Her busts of wealthy abolitionists and famous men, such as Lincoln and Longfellow, come across as the meat and potatoes of a commercial artistic practice, but her group sculptures are tantalizingly tricky. —Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 8 June 2026

For women with larger busts, some designs use internal slings and power mesh linings to give a comfortable fit. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 June 2026

Here, pastel walls contrast the travertine marble and bronze accents, while sculptural busts, mosaics, and objets d’art stand beside regal Rubelli Venezia fabrics. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026

There were two more railroad mini-booms, in 1881 and again in 1893, both followed by busts. —Fortune, 2 June 2026

As anyone who wears an A- and B-cup knows, many styles are designed with large busts in mind. —Malia Griggs, Glamour, 1 June 2026

Booms often pass through busts before reaching financial sustainability. —James Broughel, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026

Verb

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

Suddenly, Jamie busts through the house to Claire’s (Caitriona Balfe) surgical room and gently places Amy on the table. —Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 13 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

Rather than rushing the decision, Jere heads into the office to a shockingly chummy Steven (Sean Kaufman) and Denise (Isabella Briggs), who busts his chops about the wedding’s yacht formal dress code. —Sara Netzley, EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025

Amanda Rollins busts a move to the theme song below. —Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025

Bad Bunny busts records for fun. —Lars Brandle, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019