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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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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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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variants
or busted
as in bankrupt
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of bust
Julie Coleman, CNBC, 25 Mar. 2025
Of course, not every shake could crack the top five—but that doesn’t mean the rest were a bust.
—Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 24 Mar. 2025
Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
Last month, Michael was busted for allegedly assaulting his estranged wife, Kate Major Lohan, in Texas, which led to his arrest on Sunday in Florida.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, Fox News, 18 Mar. 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
Cramer referenced a recent piece by Deutsche Bank that analyzed booms and busts throughout history, where researchers noted that some private sector booms were financed with debt and stock issuance.
—Julie Coleman, CNBC, 25 Mar. 2025
Of course, not every shake could crack the top five—but that doesn’t mean the rest were a bust.
—Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 24 Mar. 2025
Verb
If none of these five teams bow out early, one thing remains certain: Brackets will be busted.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
Last month, Michael was busted for allegedly assaulting his estranged wife, Kate Major Lohan, in Texas, which led to his arrest on Sunday in Florida.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, Fox News, 18 Mar. 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
-
Image Other economists also said the blow to the labor market, which had cooled before Mr. Trump embarked on his global trade war, could be severe.—
Tony Romm,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2025
-
His ruling, stopping the TPS revocation while the lawsuit plays out in his court, was a blow to the Trump administration.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The disaster led to passage of the Federal Coal Mine and Safety Act, which in turn added the miners' surveillance program under the respiratory health division at NIOSH.—
Yuki Noguchi,
NPR,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Last month, the EU Commission urged its 450 million citizens to stockpile enough food, water and essentials for 72 hours in the event of emergencies like cyberattacks, climate disasters, disease and also geopolitical conflicts.—
Vivian Song,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The Trump administration has begun revoking the legal status of migrants who entered the U.S. under a Biden administration process powered by a smartphone app formerly known as CBP One, instructing them to leave the country immediately or face arrest and deportation.—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2025
-
President Donald Trump kicked off a sweeping immigration crackdown after taking office in January, testing the bounds of U.S. law to increase arrests and deportations.—
Ted Hesson,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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To tap into growing demand, but also support Marriott Bonvoy’s success in the country, Marriott has been on a development spree to grow its luxury brands in Brazil specifically.—
Ramsey Qubein,
Forbes.com,
6 Apr. 2025
-
Trump is on a firing spree: The Trump administration fired the director of the National Security Agency, his deputy and several other top NSA staffers Thursday.—
Cate Martel,
The Hill,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Standardization can also reduce due diligence burdens.—
The Sorenson Impact Institute,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
-
This has, among other losses, reduced Egyptian revenue from the Suez Canal by about eight hundred million dollars a month.—
Bernard Avishai,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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These two economic realities could bankrupt the dollar, seriously crater our economy and make the Depression look like the Roaring ’20s.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2025
-
The outcome was a blow to the environmental advocacy group, which has previously said that a lawsuit of this size could bankrupt its U.S. operations.—
Simmone Shah,
TIME,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Shearing emphasized that there are no true winners in a tariff war, as higher prices harm consumers and disrupt global supply chains.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Apr. 2025
-
This decision by the Russian Federation will undoubtedly endanger lives and disrupt critical HIV prevention efforts for ordinary Russian citizens.—
Stephen Daw,
Billboard,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Denzel Aberdeen hit the second of two free throws after Houston fouled, giving the Cougars one last chance to win or tie the game with 19 seconds to go.—
Kevin Dotson,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bust. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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