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
Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 9 May 2024
Sacramento’s bustling farmer market scene will gain another hub for fresh produce picking, promising its customers year-round availability — rain or shine.
—Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 8 May 2024
From Nebel's perspective, a Starbucks cafe in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood that used to bustle with energy and people now has fewer patrons and a downbeat atmosphere.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 7 May 2024
Lot 11, tucked underneath a bustling Interstate I-95, is a haven for all things wheels.
—Jonathan Abrams, New York Times, 4 May 2024
In lower Manhattan, major renters such as Spotify and Meta have begun shrinking their footprints, vacating entire floors that once bustled with employees.
—D. T. Max, The New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2024
Our urban planning prioritizes industry, unlike cities with central plazas bustling with life — think Seville’s Plaza Mayor, with street performers and cafes encouraging connection.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2024
July and August are peak tourist months, so expect the island to be bustling with fellow visitors and cruise passengers.
—Helen Iatrou, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2024
Any uncertainty melted away as the owner, Bernard Teo, greeted me with a hug and whisked me over to a communal table bustling with guests from all over the world.
—Josephine Wong, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Apr. 2024
Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 12 May 2024
The port was back to its usual hustle and bustle, the result of a military campaign that pushed Russian warships out of Ukrainian waters and secured a shipping route to markets abroad.
—Constant Méheut, New York Times, 12 May 2024
The company currently makes three motorhome models, and the California, which is based on the Transporter commercial van and debuted in 2003, is for those of us who want the ability to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life for a few days here and there.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 8 May 2024
The town hosts several popular seasonal events to punctuate its serenity, offering plenty to do without the hustle and bustle of an urban environment.
—Bang Advertising Staff and Correspondents, The Mercury News, 7 May 2024
Yellow Taxi Fellow New Yorkers know how magical the city can be in the summertime and what better way to evoke the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple than with the iconic taxi cab yellow.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2024
Amidst the hustle and bustle of Women’s National Basketball Player’s Association (WNBPA) Press Day, an electrifying energy permeated the room, pulsating with excitement and anticipation.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 18 Apr. 2024
For the royal family, Balmoral Castle has long served as a retreat from the hustle and bustle—and the limelight—of London.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Apr. 2024
The books below will suit a variety of outdoor readers, including those who get distracted easily by the hustle and bustle around them and those who want meaty works to dive into.
—Chelsea Leu, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2024
Verb
Her costume shop is a whirlwind of activity, with stitchers and cutter drapers at sewing machines or working by hand, bustling about, piecing together various components of costumes for the cast.
—Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 9 May 2024
Sacramento’s bustling farmer market scene will gain another hub for fresh produce picking, promising its customers year-round availability — rain or shine.
—Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 8 May 2024
From Nebel's perspective, a Starbucks cafe in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood that used to bustle with energy and people now has fewer patrons and a downbeat atmosphere.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 7 May 2024
Lot 11, tucked underneath a bustling Interstate I-95, is a haven for all things wheels.
—Jonathan Abrams, New York Times, 4 May 2024
In lower Manhattan, major renters such as Spotify and Meta have begun shrinking their footprints, vacating entire floors that once bustled with employees.
—D. T. Max, The New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2024
Our urban planning prioritizes industry, unlike cities with central plazas bustling with life — think Seville’s Plaza Mayor, with street performers and cafes encouraging connection.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2024
July and August are peak tourist months, so expect the island to be bustling with fellow visitors and cruise passengers.
—Helen Iatrou, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2024
Any uncertainty melted away as the owner, Bernard Teo, greeted me with a hug and whisked me over to a communal table bustling with guests from all over the world.
—Josephine Wong, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Apr. 2024
Noun
Unbridled nature has a healing modality that all people seek, leaving the hustle and bustle of the cities behind.
—Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 12 May 2024
The port was back to its usual hustle and bustle, the result of a military campaign that pushed Russian warships out of Ukrainian waters and secured a shipping route to markets abroad.
—Constant Méheut, New York Times, 12 May 2024
The company currently makes three motorhome models, and the California, which is based on the Transporter commercial van and debuted in 2003, is for those of us who want the ability to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life for a few days here and there.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 8 May 2024
The town hosts several popular seasonal events to punctuate its serenity, offering plenty to do without the hustle and bustle of an urban environment.
—Bang Advertising Staff and Correspondents, The Mercury News, 7 May 2024
Yellow Taxi Fellow New Yorkers know how magical the city can be in the summertime and what better way to evoke the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple than with the iconic taxi cab yellow.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2024
Amidst the hustle and bustle of Women’s National Basketball Player’s Association (WNBPA) Press Day, an electrifying energy permeated the room, pulsating with excitement and anticipation.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 18 Apr. 2024
For the royal family, Balmoral Castle has long served as a retreat from the hustle and bustle—and the limelight—of London.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Apr. 2024
The books below will suit a variety of outdoor readers, including those who get distracted easily by the hustle and bustle around them and those who want meaty works to dive into.
—Chelsea Leu, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bustle.' 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 bustle
Cite this Entry
“Bustle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bustle. Accessed 17 May. 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
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