1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
delivered a bust to the boxer's chops
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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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of bust
Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025
The dress features a lacquered jersey skirt and bodice embroidered with 23,000 crystals, rhinestones, and sequins, with a silk pleated peplum, and feathers blooming from the bust.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 6 Jan. 2025
Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2025
The Fast and the Furious Year: 2001 Runtime: 1h 46m
Director: Rob Cohen
Who could have known what would come of the story of an undercover LAPD cop who tries to bust a group of hijackers when this relatively quaint action flick was released almost a quarter-century ago?
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2025
Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 5 Aug. 2023
In the late 1980s, the commercial real estate boom turned bust.
—Alexandra Digby, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2023
See all Example Sentences for bust 
Noun
Zahi Hawass, a former Egyptian minister of tourism and antiquities not involved in the dig, says that the bust may date after Cleopatra’s time.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025
The dress features a lacquered jersey skirt and bodice embroidered with 23,000 crystals, rhinestones, and sequins, with a silk pleated peplum, and feathers blooming from the bust.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
But after that, sure enough, fun highlights, including the tippy top of the loop and superfast glimpse of Universal CityWalk, the busting through the New York facade, surfing above the queue and doubling back dramatically to the loading station.
—Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2025
The Fast and the Furious Year: 2001 Runtime: 1h 46m
Director: Rob Cohen
Who could have known what would come of the story of an undercover LAPD cop who tries to bust a group of hijackers when this relatively quaint action flick was released almost a quarter-century ago?
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
The bra is designed to decrease bust size by about 1 inch and features smooth and nearly seamless cups with underwire for extra support and adjustable straps for a better fit.
—Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 5 Aug. 2023
In the late 1980s, the commercial real estate boom turned bust.
—Alexandra Digby, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2023
See all Example Sentences for bust
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bust
Noun
-
Initially, the potential loss of that would be a pretty big blow.—
Jason Parham,
WIRED,
10 Jan. 2025
-
As such, this will likely be a blow because the country accounted for 50% of global oil demand growth between 2000 and 2023, averaging an annual increase of 518,000 bpd, according to the Energy Institute's 2024 Statistical Review of World Energy.—
Gaurav Sharma,
Forbes,
10 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Victims can apply for other forms of disaster assistance.—
Solcyré Burga,
TIME,
17 Jan. 2025
-
But in return for protection against another worst-case weather scenario, insurers would have to sell comprehensive coverage and invest in community disaster resilience.—
Carmen Balber,
Rolling Stone,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Most of those arrests have been for planning or carrying out direct actions, including slow marching - a tactic usually used to block traffic.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN,
13 Jan. 2025
-
New bodycam footage shows the surprising behavior of an Ohio teen convicted of intentionally crashing her car into a wall at 100 mph and killing two at the moment of her arrest.—
KC Baker,
People.com,
13 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
By the time the killing spree was put to an end, some estimates put the number of victims as high as 135.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
12 Jan. 2025
-
The juvenile is one of three Fort Smith teenagers accused of threatening a driver at gunpoint and setting out on a robbery spree Oct. 29.—
Penny Weaver,
arkansasonline.com,
7 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Tailor For Expense Reduction Messaging When crafting your capabilities statement, customize it to showcase how your business can help agencies reduce costs: • Use metrics to quantify savings from previous contracts.—
Col. Rafael Marrero,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
-
Studies show that cigarettes with lower nicotine content reduce people’s dependence on nicotine and can help alleviate some of the cravings associated with withdrawal.—
Nathaniel Weixel,
The Hill,
15 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Further, the tax, levied at extraction, would be borne by the entity enjoying the economic benefit of the well—rather than trying to chase down some marginal entity that never turned a profit or may have existed purely to be bankrupted and evade liability.—
Andrew Leahey,
Forbes,
7 Jan. 2025
-
There are more young people involved: Thanos (Choi Seung-hyun), a former rapper, lost all his money in a cryptocurrency scam pushed by YouTuber Lee Myung-gi (Yim Si-wan), who was bankrupted as well (he’s also wanted for fraud), along with his former girlfriend, Kim Jun-hee (Jo Yu-ri).—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Amyloid plaques accumulate between neurons, disrupting communication and leading to memory loss and cognitive decline, while tau tangles accumulate inside neurons, disrupting their normal function and leading to neuronal death.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
-
While many organizations prioritize technology, additional areas outside the technological realm can disrupt security capabilities and affect vulnerability management.—
Dewayne Hart,
Forbes,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
The tartness of cranberry, kissed with vanilla rum, is as enchanting as Elphaba's voice hitting that high note.—
Stephanie Gravalese,
Forbes,
13 Jan. 2025
-
High school senior Christopher Garcia was one of three students who raised their hands when the instructor asked if they’d been hit by a vehicle while cycling.—
Sarah Macaraeg,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near bust
Cite this Entry
“Bust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bust. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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