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
Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2024
Ideally, Western's halls will once again be bustling within the next couple years.
—Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 6 Dec. 2024
Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
With the spirit of the holiday season right around the corner but planning still in the works, now is the time before the hustle and bustle of festivities to look closely at items and areas of our homes that need a refresh.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bustle 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Verb
In her lead debut, Reese Witherspoon's niece, Abby James Witherspoon, plays Izzy, a young girl unhappy about her family's move from the bustling city to a sleepy old country farm.
—Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2024
Ideally, Western's halls will once again be bustling within the next couple years.
—Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
Known for its breathtaking, kilometer-long beach of golden sand, Porto Santo offers a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
With the spirit of the holiday season right around the corner but planning still in the works, now is the time before the hustle and bustle of festivities to look closely at items and areas of our homes that need a refresh.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 13 Dec. 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 22 Dec. 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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