bustling

American

[buhs-ling] / ˈbʌs lɪŋ /

adjective

moving or acting with a great show of energy.

I watched her preparing lunch in the kitchen—a compact, bustling woman of around forty with her hair in a tight bun.
abounding or teeming with people or activities that create an atmosphere of energy.

This midwestern city is a bustling hub for business, education, recreation, and government.

noun

the act or habit of moving or doing something with a great show of energy.

They were getting ready to leave again—it always happened in the middle of the night, with much bustling and scurrying about.

Other Word Forms

bustlingly adverb
unbustling adjective

Etymology

Origin of bustling

First recorded in 1425–75; bustl(e) ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; bustl(e) ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun sense

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.

Sushila Devi, who runs a small tea shop in a bustling market in Delhi, says she has been using firewood for both her shop and home.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Earlier, AFP journalists saw travellers at Beijing's bustling airport forming a snaking queue to check in their luggage with the airline.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

It’s about to transform into a bustling nursery for tens of thousands of mosquitoes.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026

“I haven’t yet,” he said from the front of the bustling Build-a-Claw tent.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

Hanako spotted a bustling outside market, right next to a single broken concrete wall and a big pile of rubble.

From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023