1
as in blows
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 disasters
something that has failed
the first movie was a hit, but the sequel was an unexpected bust
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in arrests
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in drunks
a bout of prolonged or excessive drinking
a bunch of underage kids having a beer bust while the parents were away for the weekend
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in reduces
to bring to a lower grade or rank
the commander threatened to bust her for failing to salute
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bankrupts
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disrupts
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
the butterfingered husband had busted more plates than he cared to remember
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in hits
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in seizes
slang
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
the cops busted the revelers for drinking in public
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in wears
to use up all the physical energy of
I had to bust my butt in order to get the project done on time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for busts
Noun
-
Severe weather disasters that result in damage of at least $1 billion now average 23 per year and have doubled since the 2010s, according to Bank of America.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
24 Mar. 2025 -
Heroes protect people and society from accidents, disasters, and villains—criminals who use their Quirks for evil.—
Kevin Sabet,
Newsweek,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
That includes the Windfall Elimination Provision, or WEP, which reduces Social Security benefits for individuals who also receive pension or disability benefits from employers who did not withhold Social Security taxes.—
Lorie Konish,
CNBC,
4 Jan. 2025
-
Your healthcare provider may prescribe a topical corticosteroid medication that reduces scales, redness, swelling, and itchiness.—
Laura Schober,
Health,
4 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Being pushed out of a stable home disrupts childhood learning and mental health.—
Jane Hursh,
Orlando Sentinel,
22 Mar. 2025
-
We've all been told not to look at a screen before bedtime because the light disrupts sleep, right?—
Sanaz Meshkinpour,
NPR,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
When the biggest name in the sport jumps teams, a tsunami hits.—
Olivia Hicks,
NPR,
15 Mar. 2025
-
Snow White hits theaters on March 21.—
Jack Smart,
People.com,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Employers today want people who can roll with the punches, adapt to different work setups, and thrive in any environment.—
Sho Dewan,
Forbes,
26 Dec. 2024
-
Employers today want people who can roll with the punches, adapt to different work setups, and thrive in any environment.—
Sho Dewan,
Forbes,
26 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
As the fallout from this incident continues, the scandal has revealed significant failures of basic security principles that everyone should be aware of — but that White House cabinet members and government officials should absolutely abide by.—
Tony Bradley,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
-
Even minor changes could result in cascading failures across programs.—
Jon Brodkin,
ArsTechnica,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The first mistake is lavish office spaces, premature hiring sprees and inventory mismanagement that leave your budget gasping for air, Aberra says, adding that 82% of startups that fail blame poor cash flow management.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes,
4 Jan. 2025
-
After the ghettos were liquidated, Polish forces continued their killing sprees through the third phase, searching throughout the country for Jews who may have escaped, according to Grabowski.—
Zev Stub,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The idea of festivals just exhausts me.—
Meg Zukin,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2025
-
If Le Pen exhausts the appeals process and truly cannot run for the presidency in 2027, the party already has an obvious candidate-in-waiting in Jordan Bardella.—
Cole Stangler,
Time,
1 Apr. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Busts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/busts. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share