bustling

adjective

bus·​tling ˈbəs-liŋ How to pronounce bustling (audio)
ˈbə-sə-
Synonyms of bustlingnext
: full of lively activity : busily astir
a bustling market
bustling streets
Commercial ships and recreational boats were serviced by a bustling marine industry.— AAG Abstracts
bustlingly adverb
a bustlingly busy area

Synonyms

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Examples of bustling in a Sentence

a bustling greeter was there to welcome guests to the grand opening a bustling shopping center during the Christmas season
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The director sought to develop that sharp dichotomy and turn a lens on the stark differences between a bustling urban life and the slow comforts and calamities of home. — Holly Jones, Variety, 17 Mar. 2025 His paintings capture the rhythms of daily life—women draped in flowing tobes set against stark, open backdrops of the sky or desert in some, bustling market stalls in others. — Omnia Saed, ARTnews.com, 17 Mar. 2025 Deep in the shadows of China’s bustling cities lies a paradoxical truth—a burgeoning cockroach farming industry flourishing in relative secrecy. — Scott Travers, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025 Staying here puts you within walking distance (and La Condesa is very walkable) of countless delicious eateries, trendy shops, and bustling craft cocktail bars. — Taylor McIntyre, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bustling

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bustling was in 1582

Rhymes for bustling

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bustling
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Cite this Entry

“Bustling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bustling. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

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