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.
An AFP journalist at the scene saw a large emergency services presence and officials inspecting a patch of blood in Times Square, a typically bustling hotspot for tourists.
From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026
Whether it was bustling over for another try in cherry and white hoops at Wembley or crushing the Aussies at Sydney Cricket Ground, Boston was a blur of speed, footwork and power.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
It was a clear message to Delta Air Lines, which has been developing a foothold for years, that it is going to fight for lucrative international travelers in the bustling corporate hub it calls home.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
There, I met Dan, an affable middle-aged fellow with gray tufts of hair, who was bustling around with a vacuum.
From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026
“Now don’t tell anyone,” she says, bustling in and sliding my dinner-table-cum-vanity over my lap.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
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.
