bustling

[buhs-ling]

adjective

1. 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.

2. 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

1. 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of bustling¹

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

However, it warned of potential delays and cancellations to departures at the bustling tourist hub popular with Brits.

From BBC

Tran has watched the neighborhood change from a bustling historic enclave where many Asian immigrants live and work, to what is starting to feel like “a ghost town.”

From Los Angeles Times

The cornet and trumpet virtuoso, who performed in Ornette Coleman’s band and taught jazz history at Pomona College and Pasadena City College for decades, chose the neighborhood partly because it was bustling with artists.

From Los Angeles Times

In Qiu’s vision, the project reclaims dead space in the middle of bustling neighborhoods for the public good.

From Los Angeles Times

Early the next morning, Syd and I ran through the bustling lobby filled with pretty people, giant floral arrangements, and dozens of fire victims.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• aggressive 
• alive 
• bold 
• busy 
• determined 
• diligent 
• dynamic 
• eager 
• energetic 
• engaged 
• enthusiastic 
• forceful 
• intense 
• keen 
• lively 
• quick 
• ready 
• resolute