1
as in blows
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 disasters
something that has failed
the first movie was a hit, but the sequel was an unexpected bust
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in arrests
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in sprees
a bout of prolonged or excessive drinking
a bunch of underage kids having a beer bust while the parents were away for the weekend
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in reduces
to bring to a lower grade or rank
the commander threatened to bust her for failing to salute
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bankrupts
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disrupts
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
the butterfingered husband had busted more plates than he cared to remember
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in hits
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in seizes
slang
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
the cops busted the revelers for drinking in public
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in wears
to use up all the physical energy of
I had to bust my butt in order to get the project done on time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of busts
Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 26 Apr. 2026
And some late-round picks offset first-round busts.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2026
Nate Davis lists the 50(-ish) biggest draft busts of the last 50 years.
—Jim Reineking, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
The history of the 19th-century United States is railway booms followed by railway busts.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 22 Apr. 2026
This tension has only grown sharper since the shale busts of the mid-2010s, as American producers got burned multiple times by prioritizing production over profits.
—Joe Weisenthal, Bloomberg, 20 Apr. 2026
Multicoin, especially, has been at the whims of crypto’s booms and busts.
—Ben Weiss, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
Portrait busts and diminutive figures—some barely bigger than a pin—served as vectors of constructive uncertainty.
—Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
But those Dolphins draft busts simply weren’t good players.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Suddenly, Jamie busts through the house to Claire’s (Caitriona Balfe) surgical room and gently places Amy on the table.
—Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Mar. 2026
Bianca busts them despite Luc’s best efforts.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
This is the kind of guy who kicks down a door and busts somebody’s kidney with a crowbar.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2025
Rather than rushing the decision, Jere heads into the office to a shockingly chummy Steven (Sean Kaufman) and Denise (Isabella Briggs), who busts his chops about the wedding’s yacht formal dress code.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Amanda Rollins busts a move to the theme song below.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
Bad Bunny busts records for fun.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Noun
Along the way, there have been fast times, big doping busts and fierce corporate competition for the fastest humans in history.
—Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 26 Apr. 2026
And some late-round picks offset first-round busts.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2026
Nate Davis lists the 50(-ish) biggest draft busts of the last 50 years.
—Jim Reineking, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
The history of the 19th-century United States is railway booms followed by railway busts.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 22 Apr. 2026
This tension has only grown sharper since the shale busts of the mid-2010s, as American producers got burned multiple times by prioritizing production over profits.
—Joe Weisenthal, Bloomberg, 20 Apr. 2026
Multicoin, especially, has been at the whims of crypto’s booms and busts.
—Ben Weiss, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
Portrait busts and diminutive figures—some barely bigger than a pin—served as vectors of constructive uncertainty.
—Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
But those Dolphins draft busts simply weren’t good players.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
Who doesn’t get fired up when the coach busts a move, right?
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Suddenly, Jamie busts through the house to Claire’s (Caitriona Balfe) surgical room and gently places Amy on the table.
—Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Mar. 2026
Bianca busts them despite Luc’s best efforts.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
This is the kind of guy who kicks down a door and busts somebody’s kidney with a crowbar.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2025
Rather than rushing the decision, Jere heads into the office to a shockingly chummy Steven (Sean Kaufman) and Denise (Isabella Briggs), who busts his chops about the wedding’s yacht formal dress code.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Amanda Rollins busts a move to the theme song below.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
Bad Bunny busts records for fun.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for busts
Noun
-
The Russian military appears to be losing some ground in Ukraine, contrary to claims by Moscow’s top brass; Ukrainian strikes are delivering damaging blows to vital Russian oil and gas infrastructure; and drone strikes by Kyiv have disrupted life in the Russian capital before.—
Nathan Hodge,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
-
And Minnesota didn’t absorb or respond to the blows.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Five worst nuclear reactor disasters 1.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Satellite connectivity can act as a backup during disasters like hurricanes or wildfires.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Abrecht said that some ways, the organizations running the alliance were in a strong position to face the deluge of arrests that came from Midway Blitz.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The decision comes as journalist Zied El-Heni was placed under 48-hour detention over a Facebook post, amid a broader pattern of arrests and legal pressure targeting critics.—
Ghaya ben Mbarek,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Sam knows the shame Hally has suffered from his father’s drunken sprees.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
-
In general, her scoring sprees feel more sustainable and less like streaky bursts of shooting.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This single habit dramatically reduces soap scum, the same buildup that makes tile floors dangerously slippery.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
This reduces their effectiveness, slowing down your machine and causing long-term damage.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The 2020s have been a decade of compounding American institutional failure — a pandemic, political rupture, an affordability crisis, student loan servicers treated as adversaries, a healthcare system that bankrupts the sick, and a growing sense that the system is not working as advertised.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Experts warn that the war in Iran and the resulting fuel shocks can strain funding and disrupts field operations, hindering global conservation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Dyslexia is a learning difference that disrupts how the brain processes written language.—
Ann Bullock,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The nonprofit holds a 26% stake, plus warrants if OpenAI hits certain valuation targets.—
Deepa Seetharaman,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Searchlight is in development on Lottery, a Permut Presentations drama about a young man with Down syndrome who, after winning the lottery, flees his estranged mother and hits the road with a charming new friend who has ulterior motives of her own.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Busts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/busts. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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