bustling
Americanadjective
-
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
Other Word Forms
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.
Yang, 91, lives on the outskirts of China's bustling capital Beijing.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
The German woman — forced to leave after her tourist visa expires — is gone and the bustling restaurant quiet again.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
Usually, it would be slightly more bustling than this, Sims assured me.
From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2026
African-Americans were a visible and vocal presence on New York City’s bustling streets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
A drive-in sits in the center of a huge clearing, the surrounding trees blocking out the town’s bustling sounds and creating the illusion that we’re far away.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
