bristled

verb

past tense of bristle
1
as in buzzed
to be copiously supplied a recent college grad thrilled to be starting a new life in a city bristling with possibilities

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 bristled Greene purists, as well as the author himself, bristled at the way Gere’s casting transformed the story, but as pure drama the movie is riveting — and a fascinating case study in just how much a star persona can affect a film. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2026 What’s more, two groups that fought alongside the government – Eritrea and the Fano militia from the neighboring Amhara region – bristled at being excluded from peace talks. — Siyanne Mekonnen, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Oct. 2026 Since Caitlin Clark helped drive the WNBA's popularity, left-wing sports writers have bristled at traditional fans filling arenas. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026 Companies that previously touted the regulator’s strength have bristled as the agency now pursues policies specific to prediction markets. — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 2026 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 Sonorous jaws bristled with the thick chin hairs of your least-favourite grandmother. — Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026 In this case, though, the defense bristled, forcing Indy to settle for a game-tying field goal that in turn enabled the Chiefs to prevail 33-30 on Harrison Butker’s 40-yard field goal on the last play of overtime. — Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026 Lawrence bristled at that charge, noting that he's been protesting data centers since last fall when a wave of new projects was proposed across the district and the state. — ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bristled
  1. buzzed
  2. stormed
  3. burst
  4. raged
  5. hummed
  6. fumed
  7. bulged
  8. brimmed
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
  • The doorbell rang constantly as patient after patient walked up to the white window and the volunteer receptionist buzzed them in for their appointments.
    — Tamar Hallerman, AJC.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of buzzed
Verb
  • 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
  • They were moved to various locations as rioters stormed the Capitol, and ended up barricading themselves in the Rayburn House Office Building until order was restored and Krishnamoorthi could vote.
    — Marni Pyke, Chicago Tribune, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of stormed
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
  • 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
  • Reporting from Milton, Florida Some Milton residents were luckier than others as the storm raged Friday evening.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of raged
Verb
  • After the team’s historic, championship-clinching summer, Thursday’s preseason matchup hummed with energy.
    — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026
  • At a local senior residence center this week, the participants hummed with lindens and then headed into the art room to reflect on paper, using sepia-brown linden ink.
    — Kendra Nordin Beato, Christian Science Monitor, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of hummed
Verb
  • In a phone call with The Times from jail, his first interview since his arrest, Marset fumed about the case.
    — Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Mizzou fans fumed about beating KU but playing in the lesser bowl.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of fumed
Verb
  • By later in the day, the second lake had bulged — sparking fears of another lethal torrent.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • My husband Grant Wahl's bulged and burst, at an age when this disease usually means something inherited.
    — Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News, 13 July 2026
Definition of bulged
Verb
  • Carcasses lay strewn along the shoreline as the beach brimmed with weekend activity.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • But You Caint Use My Phone, which brimmed with affirmative heaters that wonderfully interrogated screen-staring.
    — Will Dukes, Rolling Stone, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of brimmed

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Cite this Entry

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

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