BUSTLE Synonyms: 208 Similar and Opposite Words

bustle 1 of 2

noun

Definition of bustle

as in commotion

a state of noisy, confused activity I couldn't concentrate in all the bustle of the student lounge

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bustle

2 of 2

verb

ˈbə-səl

as in to burst

to be copiously supplied on Saturdays the city's downtown bustles with activity as a farmers' market sets up shop

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to rush

to proceed or move quickly the hostess bustled about, taking care of last-minute preparations for the party

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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 bustle

Noun

On their sides are some of the biggest names in Chinese tech – hardware giant Huawei, social media platform Kuaishou, service provider VNET – all packed into a zone thrumming with bustle and movement. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026 In the spring summer, the space extends to a patio outside, called Dehors, perfect for sipping on Campari spritzes and watching the bustle of Milan go by. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026

Verb

Ascension Coffee is bringing its popular coffees and cozy café atmosphere to Southlake’s bustling Town Square. — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Oct. 2026 Christy orchestrates the elaborate stagecraft that sells the illusion of a bustling organization. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bustle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bustle

Noun

In the commotion, she was briefly separated from her 85-year-old mother, who lives with her.

— Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
That allowed passengers to hear the commotion and discover what was happening.

— Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of commotion

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

The men rushed on to the plain, setting more trees ablaze and hurling rocks.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
The unidentified man in his 30s was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but was pronounced dead later in the afternoon, according to the police.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of rush

Noun

And in an unrelated incident on the morning of June 9, 2026, Jackson was arrested after Los Angeles police responded to a domestic disturbance call at his West Hills home late the previous night.

— Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Jacobs was arrested May 26, three days after police officers came to his Wisconsin home to investigate a disturbance.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of disturbance

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

Noun

That's especially prevalent in the Oversized Graphic T-Shirt with enigmatic dates on the back -- those are already causing a stir in the fan community.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
The Grammy winner’s online feud with Art of Play has caused quite a stir on the internet over the past few days.

— Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of stir

Verb

Farmers, truckers and others who keep commerce humming in the United States have to raise their prices in order to digest higher diesel costs.

— Steve Kopack, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2026
Slop spawns, and Waymo’s artificially intelligent cars hum into view like two-ton rolling Rorschach tests.

— Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of hum

Browse Nearby Words

busting

bustle

bustled

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“Bustle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bustle. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of bustle

noun

verb

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