buster

¹ American  

[buhs-ter] / ˈbʌs tər /

noun

Informal.

1. a person who breaks up something.

   crime busters.

2. something that is very big or unusual for its kind.

3. a loud, uproarious reveler.

4. a frolic; spree.

5. (initial capital letter) (used as a familiar term of address to a man or boy who is an object to the speaker's annoyance or anger).

   Look, Buster, you're standing in my way!

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Buster ² American  

[buhs-ter] / ˈbʌs tər /

noun

1. a male given name.

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buster British  

/ ˈbʌstə /

noun

1. (in combination) a person or thing destroying something as specified

   dambuster

2. a term of address for a boy or man

3. a person who breaks horses

4. a spree, esp a drinking bout

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Etymology

Origin of buster

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35; bust ² + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Debris “from bunker buster munitions can be seen around both sets of tunnel entrances,” Lair said in a social-media post.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

These bombers can carry the 30,000-pound GBU-57 “Massive Ordnance Penetrator” bunker buster, a weapon experts say is uniquely designed to penetrate underground nuclear facilities like Iran’s Fordow site.

From Salon • Jun. 21, 2025

The US has bunker buster bombs Israel believes can destroy Iran's underground uranium enrichment site at Fordow.

From BBC • Jun. 16, 2025

The UFW countered that Wonderful had intimidated workers into making false statements and had brought in a labor consultant with a reputation as a union buster to manipulate their emotions in the weeks that followed.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2024

He told me in his sergeant's voice that I had to go over to the Skins Team and I had better not try to mess up his platoons again, no sirree, buster.

From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt