bustle
1 Americanverb (used without object)
-
bustles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
bustled,
past participle, past
-
bustling
present participle
-
to move or act with a great show of energy (often followed byabout ).
He bustled about cooking breakfast.
-
to abound or teem with something; display an abundance of something (often followed bywith ).
The office bustled with people and activity.
verb (used with object)
-
bustles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
bustled,
past participle, past
-
bustling
present participle
noun
noun
-
fullness around or below the waist of a dress, as added by a peplum, bows, ruffles, etc.
-
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.
verb
noun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
bustlesimple
-
bustlessimple
-
have bustledperfect
-
has bustledperfect
-
am bustlingprogressive
-
are bustlingprogressive
-
is bustlingprogressive
-
have been bustlingperfect progressive
-
has been bustlingperfect progressive
Past
-
bustledsimple
-
had bustledperfect
-
was bustlingprogressive
-
were bustlingprogressive
-
had been bustlingperfect progressive
Future
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."
Vocabulary lists containing bustle
"Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto
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The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street
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Pride
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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.
See Examples For:
Aides and family members bustle in and out of the space.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
Informal street sellers would bustle nearby to catch passing trade.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
They bustle through the doors after the long journey, sometimes bedecked in Route 66 merchandise, and sometimes buying Mel’s own brand of Route 66 merch while there.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026
The jokester revealed that he initially came across the pad when he was living in the hustle and bustle of New York City and wanted a peaceful getaway.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 16, 2026
And so when, a week later, in the morning bustle of drivers and trucks, Roy said, “Vinny Boy, step into my office for a minute,” Obinze thought nothing of it.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
His charming, whimsical collection featured ruffled tutus, sculptured soft knits, peplum jackets, skirts with bustles and plenty of shearling fabric.
From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2026
In his dim-lit studio, Zabtia oversees everything -- from lighting and sound to costumes -- as a small crew bustles about making his latest picture, "1986".
From Barron's ● Jan. 16, 2026
Mr. Fiennes’s Dr. Henry Guthrie bustles from door to door, looking in at every bakery and pub to ask the working lads whether any of them can sing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 24, 2025
The bustles underpin the distinctive chemise à la reine that was popularized by fashion icon Marie Antoinette, with its cloud of white ruffles around a low neckline, sashed at the waist.
From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2025
Mrs. Finestein, wearing a flowered pink housecoat and slippers with high heels and real fur, bustles upstairs to get Brian.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
Where trading once bustled until late morning, activity now faded by 8am.
From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026
Foshan’s luxury furniture expo center, called the Louvre, bustled with international buyers on a recent weekday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 10, 2026
Inside, the staff spoke imperfect English, but all wore smiles on their faces as they bustled around the establishment, tending to their customers.
From Slate ● Mar. 12, 2026
On a Ganzhou street dubbed "Rare Earth Avenue", construction workers bustled to complete a sprawling new headquarters for one of those giants, China Rare Earth Group.
From Barron's ● Dec. 21, 2025
She nodded at me, said my name like a question—“Sophie?”—then bustled past with her handbag over her arm.
From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English
There was no sign of its bustling market, the local Uttargaya School was in ruins, the houses swept away, and school buses were turned over.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Usually, it would be slightly more bustling than this, Sims assured me.
From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2026
It was the perfect environment for two blue-collar communities: San Pedro, known for its bustling port and dock workers, and Bell, known as a densely packed working class industrial city.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026
She built a house in the nearby dusty, bustling town of Musina near the Zimbabwean border, confident that diamonds would provide a brighter future for her two children.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026
Her gaggle of friends comes bustling over and shuffles in behind her.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
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.
