bustled; bustling
ˈbəs-liŋ 
ˈbə-sə-
1
: to move briskly and often ostentatiously
bustled around the kitchen
2
: to be busily astir : teem
The house was bustling with activity.
: noisy, energetic, and often obtrusive activity
the hustle and bustle of the big city
clothing
: a pad or framework expanding and supporting the fullness and drapery of the back of a woman's skirt or dress
the bustle of a 19th century wedding gown
also
: the drapery so supported
Synonyms
Verb
Noun (1)
- ado
- alarums and excursions
- ballyhoo
- blather
- bluster
- bobbery
- bother
- clatter
- clutter [chiefly dialect]
- coil
- commotion
- corroboree [Australian]
- disturbance
- do [chiefly dialect]
- foofaraw
- fun
- furor
- furore
- fuss
- helter-skelter
- hoo-ha
- hoo-hah
- hoopla
- hubble-bubble
- hubbub
- hullabaloo
- hurly
- hurly-burly
- hurricane
- hurry
- hurry-scurry
- hurry-skurry
- kerfuffle [chiefly British]
- moil
- pandemonium
- pother
- row
- ruckus
- ruction
- rumpus
- shindy
- splore [Scottish]
- squall
- stew
- stir
- storm
- to-do
- tumult
- turmoil
- uproar
- welter
- whirl
- williwaw
- zoo
Examples of bustle in a Sentence
Verb
She bustled around the kitchen getting ready for dinner guests.
on Saturdays the city's downtown bustles with activity as a farmers' market sets up shop
Noun (1)
I couldn't concentrate in all the bustle of the student lounge
Recent Examples on the Web
Alysa Guffey, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Nov. 2024
A lot has changed in Tempe since then, but downtown — known by its thoroughfare, Mill Avenue — while different, is still bustling with bars and shops (but RIP Long Wong’s), a mix of Arizona State University students and everyone else.
—Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 1 Nov. 2024
Christina Shepherd McGuire, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2024
Despite the hustle and bustle, or perhaps because of it, Marrakech offers a few more tranquil spaces, like the Jardin Majorelle and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum.
—Elle Benson Easton, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bustle 
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.
Verb
Friendship bracelets and Eras Tour sweatshirts galore filled the bustling Indianapolis International Airport on Monday morning as thousands of Swifties flew home after the three-night leg of the Eras Tour.
—Alysa Guffey, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Nov. 2024
A lot has changed in Tempe since then, but downtown — known by its thoroughfare, Mill Avenue — while different, is still bustling with bars and shops (but RIP Long Wong’s), a mix of Arizona State University students and everyone else.
—Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
As fall turns to winter and the holidays arrive, the hustle and bustle of the season’s cheer is upon us.
—Christina Shepherd McGuire, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2024
Despite the hustle and bustle, or perhaps because of it, Marrakech offers a few more tranquil spaces, like the Jardin Majorelle and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum.
—Elle Benson Easton, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bustle
Dictionary Entries Near bustle
Cite this Entry
“Bustle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bustle. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bustle
1 of 2 verb
bus·tle
ˈbəs-əl
bustled; bustling
ˈbəs-(ə-)liŋ
: to move about busily or noisily
bustle
2 of 2 noun
: noisy or energetic activity
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share