bristled; bristling
ˈbris-liŋ 
ˈbri-sə-
1
: to furnish with short stiff coarse hairs or filaments : to furnish with bristles
1
a
: to rise and stand stiffly erect
quills bristling
b
: to raise the bristles (as in anger)
a snarling, bristling dog
2
: to take on an aggressively defensive attitude (as in response to a slight or criticism)
he bristled at the accusations of corruption
3
a
: to be full of or covered with especially something suggestive of bristles
roofs bristled with chimneys
b
: to be full of something specified
book bristles with detail and irony—
W. J. Broad
W. J. BroadSynonyms
Examples of bristle in a Sentence
Noun
a face covered with bristles
the bristles of a brush
Verb
Electricity makes your hair bristle.
a recent college grad thrilled to be starting a new life in a city bristling with possibilities
Recent Examples on the WebAudrey Noble, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2024
Show it some love (and get rid of the mildew lurking under the cap) with a weekly scrub with this bottle brush, which has a combination of gentle and abrasive bristles that’ll target all the nooks and crannies.
—Tiffany Hopkins, Bon Appétit, 25 Mar. 2024
In just a few passes, the nylon bristles and pins will detangle and straighten hair, leaving you with a sleek finish.
—Kylee McGuigan, Vogue, 22 Mar. 2024
Cecilia strikes up a friendship with Sister Mary (Simona Tabasco), an independent spirit who joined the convent to get away from an abusive relationship and bristles under the harsh order of the place.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 18 Mar. 2024
Enter the electric spin scrubber, which is designed to effortlessly remove grime, dirt, and stains from hard-to-reach places in the tub and on the shower walls thanks to its long handle and fast-moving bristles.
—Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024
Frozen grass underfoot has the soft bristle of walking on a sandwich with lettuce.
—Anne Carson, The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2024
Using a dish-washing bristle brush or an old toothbrush, scrub away debris and gunk from filter.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 17 Mar. 2024
Best Toilet Brush: Staff Toilet Brush Icky bacteria won’t stick to the silicone bristles on this toilet brush.
—Ella Field, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2024
Roxane Gay, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024
My daughter bristled at the possibility of changing schools for the fourth time in five years.
—Gabriela Sandoval, The Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2024
Salazar leaves the house only to go to her office, which bristles with security.
—Samantha Schmidt, Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2024
Heart of Rocks Loop: The most striking pinnacles can be found on this short loop, a mystical stone gallery bristling with fanciful formations like Camel’s Head, Punch and Judy, Thor’s Hammer and Duck on a Rock.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024
Russian officials have bristled at the U.S. public comments on the attack and say Russian investigators must be allowed to make their own findings.
—USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
The antispam components in some suites bristle with configuration settings.
—PCMAG, 26 Mar. 2024
But the memory of the Village Voice — in all its rebellious spirit of possibility and gritty, bristling immediacy — lives on in Romano’s rich and compulsively readable oral history.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024
Still, tired job applicants are understandably feeling a bit bristled by having to take the time to pretend to want to work somewhere.
—Chloe Berger, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2024
Noun
Brushes made out of natural bristles, wood, or cork, Hill says, require more TLC.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2024
Show it some love (and get rid of the mildew lurking under the cap) with a weekly scrub with this bottle brush, which has a combination of gentle and abrasive bristles that’ll target all the nooks and crannies.
—Tiffany Hopkins, Bon Appétit, 25 Mar. 2024
In just a few passes, the nylon bristles and pins will detangle and straighten hair, leaving you with a sleek finish.
—Kylee McGuigan, Vogue, 22 Mar. 2024
Cecilia strikes up a friendship with Sister Mary (Simona Tabasco), an independent spirit who joined the convent to get away from an abusive relationship and bristles under the harsh order of the place.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 18 Mar. 2024
Enter the electric spin scrubber, which is designed to effortlessly remove grime, dirt, and stains from hard-to-reach places in the tub and on the shower walls thanks to its long handle and fast-moving bristles.
—Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024
Frozen grass underfoot has the soft bristle of walking on a sandwich with lettuce.
—Anne Carson, The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2024
Using a dish-washing bristle brush or an old toothbrush, scrub away debris and gunk from filter.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 17 Mar. 2024
Best Toilet Brush: Staff Toilet Brush Icky bacteria won’t stick to the silicone bristles on this toilet brush.
—Ella Field, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2024
Verb
Just keep in mind that right or wrong, some supervisors might bristle at this request.
—Roxane Gay, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024
My daughter bristled at the possibility of changing schools for the fourth time in five years.
—Gabriela Sandoval, The Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2024
Salazar leaves the house only to go to her office, which bristles with security.
—Samantha Schmidt, Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2024
Heart of Rocks Loop: The most striking pinnacles can be found on this short loop, a mystical stone gallery bristling with fanciful formations like Camel’s Head, Punch and Judy, Thor’s Hammer and Duck on a Rock.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024
Russian officials have bristled at the U.S. public comments on the attack and say Russian investigators must be allowed to make their own findings.
—USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
The antispam components in some suites bristle with configuration settings.
—PCMAG, 26 Mar. 2024
But the memory of the Village Voice — in all its rebellious spirit of possibility and gritty, bristling immediacy — lives on in Romano’s rich and compulsively readable oral history.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024
Still, tired job applicants are understandably feeling a bit bristled by having to take the time to pretend to want to work somewhere.
—Chloe Berger, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bristle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near bristle
Cite this Entry
“Bristle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bristle. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bristle
1 of 2 noun
bris·tle
ˈbris-əl
: a short stiff hair or something like a hair
bristled
adjective
-əld
bristly
adjective
-(ə-)lē
bristle
2 of 2 verb
bristled; bristling
-(ə-)liŋ
1
: to rise up and stiffen like bristles
makes your hair bristle
quills bristling in all directions
2
: to show signs of anger
bristled at the insult
3
: to appear as if covered with bristles
a harbor bristling with the masts of ships
bristly
adjective
-(ə-)lē
Medical Definition
bristle
noun
bris·tle
ˈbris-əl
: a short stiff coarse hair or filament
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