bustle

¹ American  

[buhs-uhl] / ˈbʌs əl /

verb (used without object)

bustled, bustling

1. to move or act with a great show of energy (often followed byabout ).

   He bustled about cooking breakfast.

2. to abound or teem with something; display an abundance of something (often followed bywith ).

   The office bustled with people and activity.

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verb (used with object)

bustled, bustling

1. to cause to bustle; hustle.

noun

1. thriving or energetic activity; stir; ferment.

   Synonyms:

   fuss, agitation, flurry, ado, teem, overflow, brim

bustle ² American  

[buhs-uhl] / ˈbʌs əl /

noun

1. fullness around or below the waist of a dress, as added by a peplum, bows, ruffles, etc.

2. a pad, cushion, or framework formerly worn under the back of a woman's skirt to expand, support, and display the full cut and drape of a dress.

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bustle ¹ British  

/ ˈbʌsəl /

verb

1. to hurry or cause to hurry with a great show of energy or activity

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noun

1. energetic and noisy activity

bustle ² British  

/ ˈbʌsəl /

noun

1. a cushion or a metal or whalebone framework worn by women in the late 19th century at the back below the waist in order to expand the skirt

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Other Word Forms

• bustled
  adjective
• bustler
  noun
• bustling
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of bustle¹

First recorded in 1615–25; Middle English bustelen “to hurry aimlessly along,” perhaps akin to Old Norse busla “to splash about, bustle”

Origin of bustle²

First recorded in 1780–90; origin uncertain

Explanation

A flurry of activity and commotion is often referred to as bustle. If you want to see true bustle in action, just walk through Times Square in New York during lunch hour. If it's busy, energetic or moving about at a rapid pace, then it's bustling. Word historians think bustle might stem from an Old Norse word meaning "to prepare." However, it's probably easier to remember bustle by the synonym it's often used with — hustle, as in "the hustle and bustle of a big city."

Example Sentences

Brunson, the comedic mastermind and star of ABC’s “Abbott Elementary,” spoke candidly to Bustle about news of her divorce spreading before she was ready to address it herself.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2025

According to Bustle, aura points are "all about the vibe or energy you give off."

From Salon • Jul. 21, 2024

“We’re not ready to sell yet. I need a few more years,” she told Bustle.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 2, 2023

"I was exposed to organising at such an early age, both as a skill set but also as an ethos," she told Bustle magazine in 2020.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2023

Here we heard detail of our Commission: The Parliamentary Army, it was known, graze a great Bustle of Livestock on the Grasses of Hog & Noddle’s Islands.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson

Related Words

• commotion
• hubbub
• tumult