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.

The highly unusual attack took place in the bustling Grosse Bergstrasse in Hamburg Altona, near an inner-city Ikea store on Monday evening.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

On a busy Saturday night in February 2019, hundreds of patrons of the arts ducked out of the cold and into New York City’s bustling Guggenheim Museum.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026

The House of Pies, a Los Feliz institution, is bustling on a chilly January morning.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2026

So it wasn't long before he found himself back in the kitchen, cooking up a storm across London with his sold-out supper clubs, bustling pop-up cafes, and crowded lunchtime falafel bars.

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

But despite the bustling crowd and Bruno’s wagging tail, it’s clear the dog is alone.

From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day

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