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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
or busted
as in bankrupt
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bust
Silas Morgan, Orlando Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2025
The couture dress featured a dainty bow at the bust and a long train.
—Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 10 Mar. 2025
Stepheny Price, Fox News, 4 Mar. 2025
See 6 finalists for new position Starbucks is removing some drinks from its menu in March: See the full list Man busted in airport smuggling cocaine under toupee: Watch video of hairy situation Will an asteroid hit Earth?
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 1 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
Listen to this article Sheriff Marcos Lopez is calling his agency’s recent arrests of more than two dozen people the biggest fentanyl bust in Osceola County history.
—Silas Morgan, Orlando Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2025
The couture dress featured a dainty bow at the bust and a long train.
—Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
Both suspects ignored no trespassing signs and verbal commands from a ticket agent before busting through staff onto the restricted jet bridge, authorities said.
—Stepheny Price, Fox News, 4 Mar. 2025
See 6 finalists for new position Starbucks is removing some drinks from its menu in March: See the full list Man busted in airport smuggling cocaine under toupee: Watch video of hairy situation Will an asteroid hit Earth?
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 1 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
-
The film stars the gifted André Holland as a theater performer who becomes an amnesiac after suffering a violent blow to the head.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
The Hollywood Reporter,
11 Mar. 2025
-
But some business owners and managers told the Miami Herald Fraga’s proposal, set to be considered by the Doral City Council on Wednesday, could deal a crushing blow to their establishments.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
10 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
However, almost everyone agrees that a closer examination is needed after the disaster at DCA.—
Zach Wichter,
USA TODAY,
18 Mar. 2025
-
The 1986 Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine shocked the world, contaminating regions across Eastern Europe and affecting millions.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
One of them ended in dozens of arrests Thursday in Manhattan.—
Axios,
Axios,
15 Mar. 2025
-
Bell had a firearm at the time of his arrest, according to police.—
Michael Moore Jr.,
Miami Herald,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Bill Belichick ran things in his unique fashion, and as a result, the franchise had little use for the ballooning contracts and oversized bonuses that are customary in NFL free agency but tend to age poorly (the spending spree of 2021 notwithstanding).—
Chad Graff,
The Athletic,
11 Mar. 2025
-
While House Bill 1072 has been in the works since before the stabbing attacks on the 16th Street Mall that left one person dead, its sponsors say the spree gives it an extra emphasis.—
Nick Coltrain,
The Denver Post,
10 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
These layoffs reduced staffing at some local weather forecast offices to threadbare levels, causing some to reduce their services.—
Andrew Freedman,
Axios,
17 Mar. 2025
-
Although reducing the property tax burden could provide significant benefits to business owners and homeowners, there’s no guarantee that landlords would pass those savings on to their tenants.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
16 Mar. 2025
Verb
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If every missile defense system goes down tomorrow and every national bank is bankrupted tomorrow, the world is going to be in chaos.—
Jake Kring-Schreifels,
TIME,
5 Mar. 2025
-
Gun rights groups argue that Mexico is trying to bankrupt the U.S. firearms industry and undermine the Second Amendment.—
Whitney Eulich,
The Christian Science Monitor,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Doctors, hospitals and other providers don't want to disrupt their practices' workflow and payment logistics with cost discussions and paperwork, especially after services have been provided.—
Michelle Andrews,
NPR,
17 Mar. 2025
-
As the World Economic Forum reports, 44% of workers' skills will be disrupted in the next four years, with cognitive skills growing in importance most rapidly.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
McIlroy only hit four fairways and averaged 294.10 yards off the tee.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
15 Mar. 2025
-
According to Billboard, Wicked set a new record for the highest-grossing movie adaptation of a Broadway musical on Dec. 29, when the film hit the $634.4 million mark at the worldwide box office.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bust. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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