busking

American  

[buhs-king] / bʌs kɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or practice of entertaining by dancing, singing, juggling, etc., on the street or in a public place.

   When I lived and studied in London for a year and a half, I brought my guitar along and did some busking in the streets.

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adjective

1. engaged in this kind of public entertainment.

   My interviewee was late meeting me in the square, so while waiting I struck up a conversation with a busking musician.

Etymology

Origin of busking

First recorded in 1770–80; busk ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun; busk ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective

Example Sentences

From the musicians busking along Venice Beach to the intimate shows at Winston House, music is part of the fabric of Venice.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 18, 2025

In the centre of Vladivostok I stop to listen to a band busking on a pedestrian street.

From BBC • Sep. 3, 2025

British pop star Ed Sheeran was stopped from busking in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru on Sunday, with police saying he didn't have the necessary permissions.

From BBC • Feb. 10, 2025

Segarra grew up in the Bronx and left home just after turning 17, eventually ending up busking in a street band in New Orleans and riding freight trains during the hottest Louisiana months.

From New York Times • Feb. 23, 2024

The next day, right when I begin to consider a career in busking or garbage collecting, two thick envelopes arrive in the mail: one from NYU and the other from DePaul University.

From "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika L. Sánchez