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British

busted

[ buhs-tid ]

/ ˈbʌs tɪd /

Informal.

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See synonyms for busted on Thesaurus.com

adjective

broken, fractured, or seriously damaged: a busted leg.

no longer working or operating: a busted radio.

penniless or bankrupt; broke: busted businesses that can’t pay their bills.

failed: I never talk about my busted marriages.

in trouble; caught doing something bad or wrong: I know that’s a lie—you are so busted!

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Origin of busted

First recorded in 1835–40; bust² + -ed²

Words nearby busted

bus stop, bust, bust a gut, Bustamante, bustard, busted, bustee, buster, Buster Brown collar, buster collar, busticate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use busted in a sentence

In Houston, the heroes now arrive with plumbing toolsAbbott’s actions are aimed at a serious need, as many residents and business owners contend with busted pipes.
Texas is in desperate need of plumbers. Two brothers-in-law drove more than 20 hours straight to help.|Lateshia Beachum|February 26, 2021|Washington Post
The arrival of The Shot has transformed the grim pop-up clinics of the pandemic into gratitude factories — reassembly lines where Americans could begin to put back together their busted psyches.
The joy of vax: The people giving the shots are seeing hope, and it’s contagious|Maura Judkis|February 25, 2021|Washington Post
Those dealing with a busted Joy-Con can seek a repair through Nintendo, but for anyone else in need of a spare set, this deal should lessen the blow compared to buying directly from the company.
Today’s best tech deals: Nintendo Joy-Cons, Apple’s M1 Mac mini, and more|Ars Staff|February 18, 2021|Ars Technica
The busted system leads to flooding, sinkholes and toxic and bacteria-laden material flowing into the region’s coastal waters.
Morning Report: The Stormwater Deficit Is a Big Deal|Voice of San Diego|February 8, 2021|Voice of San Diego

The city’s busted stormwater system leads to flooding, sinkholes and toxic and bacteria-laden material flowing into the region’s coastal waters.
San Diego’s Infrastructure Deficit Is Really a Stormwater Deficit|Andrew Keatts|February 8, 2021|Voice of San Diego
South Korean police busted up one such scheme in 2011, which was said to have netted millions.
Inside the ‘Surprisingly Great’ North Korean Hacker Hotel|Michael Daly|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Earlier in the year, TMZ alleged, citing a police report, that a hotel room spat between the two left Nicki with a busted lip.
Nicki Minaj Bares Her Own Vulnerability on ‘The Pinkprint’|Rawiya Kameir|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Ex-hippie Billy Hayes was busted for smuggling hash and thrown in a terrifying Turkish prison.
The Unbelievable (True) Story of the World’s Most Infamous Hash Smuggler|Marlow Stern|November 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Busted is not the only journalism-inspired Hollywood project in various stages of production.
Hollywood Thinks Journalists Are Sexy Again|Lloyd Grove|September 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Weeks before he was abducted, alleged members of a kidnapping network tied to ISIS were busted in London.
Foley Abduction Linked to British Jihadi Kidnapping Ring|Josh Rogin, Eli Lake|August 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Each of them was chuck full of that dubious sort of pride that has busted up more than one love-fiesta.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
I am being busted here by party named Hutchinson.70 Seems good.
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 25 (of 25)|Robert Louis Stevenson
And there was nice split-bottom chairs, and perfectly sound, too—not bagged down in the middle and busted, like an old basket.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Complete|Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
Some of the boys around here have been telling me that you were all busted up about that girl you married.
The Boy Grew Older|Heywood Broun
There isn't a one of them in the whole world that's worth getting busted up over.
The Boy Grew Older|Heywood Broun

British Dictionary definitions for busted

busted

/ (ˈbʌstəd) /

adjective

informal caught out doing something wrong and therefore in troubleyou are so busted

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012