1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
delivered a bust to the boxer's chops
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in disaster
something that has failed
the first movie was a hit, but the sequel was an unexpected bust
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in arrest
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
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4
as in spree
a bout of prolonged or excessive drinking
a bunch of underage kids having a beer bust while the parents were away for the weekend
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1
as in to reduce
to bring to a lower grade or rank
the commander threatened to bust her for failing to salute
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to bankrupt
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
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3
as in to disrupt
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
the butterfingered husband had busted more plates than he cared to remember
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to hit
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
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5
as in to arrest
slang
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
the cops busted the revelers for drinking in public
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6
as in to wear
to use up all the physical energy of
I had to bust my butt in order to get the project done on time
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
or busted
as in bankrupt
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bust
Wwd Staff, WWD, 12 Feb. 2025
The Trump administration's shock and awe strategy was meant to overwhelm opponents, disrupt the establishment and bust norms.
—Tina Reed, Axios, 10 Feb. 2025
Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes, 6 Feb. 2025
The teen was one of two youngsters busted in connection with the Jan. 25 subway hijacking.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2025
Ramon Pacheco Pardo, Foreign Affairs, 7 May 2024
And while those payments crimped Spotify’s profits, and the company has lately struggled to sell stock investors on a convincing growth story, Spotify is also not about to go bust.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 2 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bust
Noun
Related Articles The look provides an instant bust enhancement as well as a sculpted butt.
—Wwd Staff, WWD, 12 Feb. 2025
The Trump administration's shock and awe strategy was meant to overwhelm opponents, disrupt the establishment and bust norms.
—Tina Reed, Axios, 10 Feb. 2025
Verb
Of course, one constant in the nuclear industry has been that schedules and budgets are made to be busted.
—Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes, 6 Feb. 2025
The teen was one of two youngsters busted in connection with the Jan. 25 subway hijacking.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2025
Adjective
And last year, when Silicon Valley Bank—favored by startups—was about to go bust, the U.S. Treasury Department, the U.S. Federal Reserve, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, came to its customers’ rescue.
—Ramon Pacheco Pardo, Foreign Affairs, 7 May 2024
And while those payments crimped Spotify’s profits, and the company has lately struggled to sell stock investors on a convincing growth story, Spotify is also not about to go bust.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 2 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bust
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bust
Noun
-
Spanish soccer giant Real Madrid announced a huge KO injury blow which Cope - citing anonymous sources - expects to sideline the first team starting player in question for around two months.—
Tom Sanderson,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Things would inevitably come to blows between them and Deadpool's healing factor would frustrate Matt to no end.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The scope of the disaster grew clear as the orchestra began to reconnect.—
Thomas Curwen,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2025
-
Weegee’s pictures of disaster, crime, and urban blight not only grabbed viewers’ attention but highlighted the ways in which passive spectatorship had come to dominate our lives as citizens.—
Naomi Fry,
The New Yorker,
22 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
All three refused to provide identification or sign arrest paperwork, and were identified only after their pictures were shown to an FBI agent, police said.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA TODAY,
20 Feb. 2025
-
This ranking was achieved despite reports of a peaceful campus protest which ending in a police crackdown, which saw 27 arrests and pepper spray used on students.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Stephen Henriques,
TIME,
19 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The early years of the pandemic saw a massive hiring spree in tech, fueled in part by shifting consumer spending habits amid lockdowns.—
Bailey Schulz,
USA TODAY,
15 Feb. 2025
-
Los Angeles then doubled down with another spending spree, adding, retaining or extending pricey players like Blake Snell, Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen, Kirby Yates, Michael Conforto, Tommy Edman, Teoscar Hernández and Clayton Kershaw, among others.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Guided by billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, the Trump administration has moved aggressively the past week to fire probationary workers across federal departments and agencies in an effort to drastically reduce the size of the government.—
Joey Garrison,
USA TODAY,
21 Feb. 2025
-
An extra set of eyes and ears helps reduce the odds of injury.—
Josh Honeycutt,
Outdoor Life,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The stop order has paralyzed U.S. aid programs around the world, bankrupting fragile local aid groups and small businesses and putting lives at risk.—
Andrew Natsios,
Foreign Affairs,
7 Feb. 2025
-
Ukraine's drone operations are designed to bankrupt Moscow's ability to continue funding the war, and the damage on oil production and processing facilities has also impacted Russia's economy.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
1 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Once inhaled, VOCs can mimic the activity of hormones, disrupting the endocrine system.—
Matt Fuchs,
TIME,
21 Feb. 2025
-
Canal authorities were forced to reduce the transits from a typical 36 a day to 24, disrupting global supply chains.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Solo Ball, the only UConn player to make a 3-pointer until McNeeley hit one with five minutes to go, finished with 13 points and a team-best six assists.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
19 Feb. 2025
-
In the video, O'Leary wailed after the metal object hit him in the chest.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA TODAY,
19 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bust. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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