gangbuster

American  

[gang-buhs-ter] / ˈgæŋˌbʌs tər /

noun

Informal.

1. a law-enforcement officer who specializes in breaking up organized crime, often by forceful or sensational means.

2. someone or something having great impact, usually in a positive way.

3. gangbusters, an outstandingly successful state or situation.

   We aren't looking for gangbusters, but we'd like you to pass all your subjects this semester.

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adjective

1. of or like a law-enforcement officer who uses rough, aggressive, or sensational tactics in fighting crime.

   The undercover agents avoided the gangbusters approach.

2. strikingly effective or successful.

   a gangbusters year for compact cars.

3. enthusiastic.

   I'm not gangbusters over the idea.

idioms

1. like gangbusters, with great speed, intensity, vigor, impact, or success.

   The software market was growing like gangbusters. The hockey team came on at the beginning of the season like gangbusters.

2. go gangbusters, to be extremely successful.

   The movie went gangbusters.

Etymology

Origin of gangbuster

First recorded in 1935–40; gang ¹ + buster

Explanation

If you had a gangbuster week at school, you aced all your tests and assignments. Gangbuster is also a noun referring to something really popular or successful: your new recipe for blueberry broccoli muffins could be a gangbuster! But probably not. Gangbuster is a good example of a word with a very specific original meaning that has been extended or broadened to become more general. It was originally a noun referring to a police officer who broke up gangs and brought them to justice, especially in a spectacular or impressive way that made headlines. From that historical sense it was a short jump to the modern sense of "a spectacular success" — and from there to an adjective describing anything extremely successful.

Example Sentences

Or, in the case of Coach and e.l.f., straight up gangbuster growth — Coach sales jumped 25% year over year, while e.l.f’s total revenue rose 38%.

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

Slanting the dialogue of a major theatrical gangbuster toward hesitation or negativity only feeds the slop machine.

From Salon • Apr. 26, 2025

Some sort of economic slowdown is expected, compared with last year’s gangbuster growth.

From Washington Post • Jul. 27, 2022

A gangbuster second quarter is expected to mark a peak for recent U.S. earnings growth as companies recover from the depths of last year’s pandemic-induced profit collapse.

From Reuters • Aug. 3, 2021

The gangbuster growth Netflix had seen during the pandemic appeared to be slowing as people start leaving their homes more and as competition from rival services picks up.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 21, 2021