bristle 1 of 2

noun

ˈbri-səl How to pronounce bristle (audio)
Definition of bristlenext
as in fiber
a thin, flexible structure that resembles a hair a hairbrush with plastic bristles

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bristle

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to burst
to be copiously supplied a recent college grad thrilled to be starting a new life in a city bristling with possibilities

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to storm
to express one's anger usually violently the man bristled at the accusation, and threatened to file a lawsuit

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bristle
Noun
Cleveland Clinic warns that hard bristles and heavy pressure can wear down enamel and damage gum tissue. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2026 Cyrus ignores the correction and later bristles when Adam decides to extend his military service for another five years. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
The moment is a test for the UAE government, which has burnished a reputation for building effective measures against extremist activities but also has bristled in the past over criticism of security lapses. — Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026 Speed At All Costs The cars of the early 1990s were extraordinary machines, bristling with active suspension and aerodynamic wizardry. — Jessica Vitiritti, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bristle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bristle
  1. fiber
  2. burst
  3. storm
  4. thread
  5. bulge
  6. rage
  7. wire
  8. buzz
Noun
  • The American Diabetes Association currently recommends limiting fruit juice to 4-ounce (1/2-cup) servings and choosing whole fruits, which are high in fiber.
    — MD Published, Verywell Health, 17 Oct. 2026
  • There’s only so much that wireless can do where a fiber network is ultimately your best connection.
    — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of fiber
Verb
  • But on Monday, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan likened many of the investors drawn to the AI boom to gamblers and questioned the economics of AI labs as Wall Street debates whether the AI bubble will burst.
    — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Seven months after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, explosions burst through two Nord Stream gas pipelines – Russia’s controversial gas highway into Europe – in the waters between Sweden and Poland.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of burst
Verb
  • Why burn down the Limoges city hall, the tourist office in Lyon, storm the Marseille city hall, or attack the prefect’s residence in Bordeaux?
    — Eve Batey, Vanity Fair, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The flow of money from Qatar into Gaza has taken on new significance since October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists stormed southern Israel, murdered some 1,200 people, and took 251 more hostage.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of storm
Noun
  • How do two middle-class lads in ratty threads, who might very well have both been played by Robert Pattinson, fast-track an appointment with Jesus?
    — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
  • One of the main threads of the book that drew Duffield to directing the adaptation was the father-son relationship at its core; his own son was 4 at the time of the set visit.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of thread
Verb
  • Simmons has been out since training camp, with what head coach Andy Reid more recently called a bulging disc in his back.
    — Sam McDowell October 12, Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Like clockwork, Khloé’s eye starts bulging out, Kylie Jenner grows a tail, and Kourtney’s face becomes a fingernail.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of bulge
Verb
  • Not surprisingly, the ballooning price of oil was the driving force behind the inflationary bump as the war in Iran rages on and energy exports remain tied up in the Strait of Hormuz.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Ruffalo raged against the Para-WBD merger over the last year, and was one of the loudest voices up to final days before a settlement was reached in state Attorneys General antitrust suit against the Ellisons.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of rage
Noun
  • What happens now Nearly two years after that first $10 million wire, the scandal has left a strange legacy.
    — Christopher Spata, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The singer arrived on the red carpet wearing a black sculptural ensemble with an elaborate wire and loop headpiece and a lofty pair of Saint Laurent platform heels.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of wire
Verb
  • By morning, firefighting aircraft were back in the air dropping water on the Bryson fire in Malibu while the sound of generators purchased by outage-weary residents and business owners buzzed through the canyons.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Matières Fécales and Christian Louboutin’s shoes have been receiving some celebrity buzz lately.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of buzz

Browse Nearby Words

briskness
bristle
bristled
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Cite this Entry

“Bristle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bristle. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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