as in bristly
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1
as in bursting
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 storming
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
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Recent Examples of bristling
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Mason gives him a somewhat civilized welcome but has too much bristling nervous energy to be trusted.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Agnes, the tender, bristling English associate about which this film spins, does have the wardrobe and wit of my favorite adjuncts.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 10 Apr. 2026
Writers who spoke with Deadline on Friday waved off most talk of the ceremony, bristling at any insinuation that the blame for the strike fallout should lay at the feet of the staff.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 6 Mar. 2026
The seas of the Middle East are bristling with American warships and airpower trained on Iran.
—February 26, NPR, 26 Feb. 2026
Tour guide Michael Hillman said travelers are bristling at how pricey Las Vegas has become.
—Rajesh Kumar Singh, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
More than any other European leader, Orbán has made a career out of bristling against the EU, despite not seeking to leave it.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Buried in a six-game losing streak, Las Vegas head coach Pete Carroll has canned two coordinators — most notably offensive mind Chip Kelly, hired away from national champion Ohio State this offseason to operate a Raiders attack bristling with skill players.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 7 Dec. 2025
The real success of King Sorrow, however, is its balancing of stunt and spectacle with the characters’ bristling imperfections.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Adjective
That gives it a bristling relevance.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Mason gives him a somewhat civilized welcome but has too much bristling nervous energy to be trusted.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Verb
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed the sentiment after bristling at a question from a CNN journalist during a Pentagon briefing last month on the Iran war.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Agnes, the tender, bristling English associate about which this film spins, does have the wardrobe and wit of my favorite adjuncts.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 10 Apr. 2026
Writers who spoke with Deadline on Friday waved off most talk of the ceremony, bristling at any insinuation that the blame for the strike fallout should lay at the feet of the staff.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 6 Mar. 2026
The seas of the Middle East are bristling with American warships and airpower trained on Iran.
—February 26, NPR, 26 Feb. 2026
Tour guide Michael Hillman said travelers are bristling at how pricey Las Vegas has become.
—Rajesh Kumar Singh, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
More than any other European leader, Orbán has made a career out of bristling against the EU, despite not seeking to leave it.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Buried in a six-game losing streak, Las Vegas head coach Pete Carroll has canned two coordinators — most notably offensive mind Chip Kelly, hired away from national champion Ohio State this offseason to operate a Raiders attack bristling with skill players.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 7 Dec. 2025
The real success of King Sorrow, however, is its balancing of stunt and spectacle with the characters’ bristling imperfections.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bristling
Adjective
-
During the summer ski jumping season when competitors slide down ceramic or porcelain tracks and land on bristly plastic mats, the team tried to adjust to the new ski suit dimensions.—
Brian Melley,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Their typically bristly fur is peppered with shades of brown and gray, with a white underbelly.—
Marina Watts,
PEOPLE,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Following a brutal winter season, Martha's Bedford farm is now bursting with colorful blooms.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
28 Apr. 2026
-
As April comes to a close, Amazon’s outlet is bursting with even more exciting deals than usual.—
Madeline Merinuk,
PEOPLE,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Trump posted a video on Truth Social showing the suspect storming the White House Correspondents' Dinner and a photo of the suspect on the ground after being apprehended.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Bart Jansen Iran claimed the first toll has been paid for ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz and demonstrated its control of the key waterway by having state television show commandos storming a cargo ship during a hiatus in peace talks with the United States.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
So Isaac and Mulligan have done seething resentment before in the most watchable way.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The deliberate sparring during mealtime hides a palpable contempt the two warriors have for each other, further displayed as a seething hatred conveyed on Kirk's face as Chang departs back to Kronos One.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Residents could flip on the TV to see who was downstairs before buzzing them in.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Most homeowners are surprised to learn the buzzing nuisance ruining their evenings probably started life just steps from the back door.—
Ryan Brennan
April 30,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And his future, a raging battle between the state courts and the NCAA, will be a bellwether for all college sports.—
Bomani Jones,
Vanity Fair,
29 Apr. 2026
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Plenty of others haven’t engaged with the book at all, instead using its premise — and ironically, Hathaway’s role as a female producer on the film — as fodder for the ever-raging American culture wars.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
More humane methods of killing lobsters pre-boiling include a sharp knife through the head, electrical stunning, or freezing.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
29 Dec. 2025
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Agrawal and her team studied ionic liquids — salts that are liquid at sub-boiling temperatures (below 212 degrees Fahrenheit, or 100 degrees Celsius) — as a potential hospitable environment for life.—
Stefanie Waldek,
Space.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Reiner sat mostly expressionless in the courtroom—his eyes wide open and bulging.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Nicholas Galitzine, resplendent with wavy blond hair and bulging muscles, has the power.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bristling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bristling. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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