gangbuster

American  

[gang-buhs-ter] / ˈgæŋˌbʌs tər /

noun

Informal.

1. a law-enforcement officer who specializes in breaking up organized crime, often by forceful or sensational means.

2. someone or something having great impact, usually in a positive way.

3. gangbusters, an outstandingly successful state or situation.

   We aren't looking for gangbusters, but we'd like you to pass all your subjects this semester.

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adjective

1. of or like a law-enforcement officer who uses rough, aggressive, or sensational tactics in fighting crime.

   The undercover agents avoided the gangbusters approach.

2. strikingly effective or successful.

   a gangbusters year for compact cars.

3. enthusiastic.

   I'm not gangbusters over the idea.

idioms

1. like gangbusters, with great speed, intensity, vigor, impact, or success.

   The software market was growing like gangbusters. The hockey team came on at the beginning of the season like gangbusters.

2. go gangbusters, to be extremely successful.

   The movie went gangbusters.

Etymology

Origin of gangbuster

First recorded in 1935–40; gang ¹ + buster

Example Sentences

Or, in the case of Coach and e.l.f., straight up gangbuster growth — Coach sales jumped 25% year over year, while e.l.f’s total revenue rose 38%.

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

Slanting the dialogue of a major theatrical gangbuster toward hesitation or negativity only feeds the slop machine.

From Salon • Apr. 26, 2025

Downtown’s green shoots of renewal include a record residential population, a gangbuster return of visitors last summer, and an 18% reduction in violent crime between 2019 and 2022.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 14, 2023

He said he would not necessarily need to see a gangbuster jobs growth for September to fill that gap and would be satisfied with “a decent employment report.”

From Washington Post • Sep. 22, 2021

A gangbuster second quarter is expected to mark a peak for recent U.S. earnings growth as companies recover from the depths of last year’s pandemic-induced profit collapse.

From Reuters • Aug. 3, 2021