busted
Americanadjective
-
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.
-
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!
adjective
Etymology
Origin of busted
First recorded in 1835–40; bust 2 ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The BBC's new director general has described the traditional TV licence model as "a busted flush" and "no longer fit for purpose".
From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026
Louis, in comparison, is kinda busted — gloomy, tortured, unable to fully embrace the everlasting banquet Lestat has laid out for him.
From Salon • Jun. 13, 2026
And, as someone I wrote about two years ago regarding busted sidewalks in his neighborhood, he shared this lament about Thursday’s debate:
From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2026
A few operations have been busted in India.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
I look exactly the same as I did a week ago, before Atlantis got busted.
From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
