Standard Lemma guide

bustling

adj · noun · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈbʌs(ə)lɪŋ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: B AH1 S AH0 L IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: B AH1 S L IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Busy; full of energy and noisy activity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • bustling marketplace
  • bustling square
  • bustling streets
  • bustling town

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A bustle; a busy stir.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • the bustlings of waiters in the crowded restaurant

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

present participle and gerund of bustle

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

full of energetic and noisy activity

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a bustling city

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: rušný — full of noisy activity
  • Czech: uspěchaný — full of noisy activity
  • Finnish: touhukas — full of noisy activity
  • French: animé — full of noisy activity
  • French: trépidant — full of noisy activity
  • Hebrew: שׁוֹקֵק (shoqéq) — full of noisy activity
  • Italian: vivace — full of noisy activity
  • Māori: toritori — full of noisy activity
  • Occitan: animat — full of noisy activity
  • Occitan: vivent — full of noisy activity
  • Spanish: ajetreado — full of noisy activity
  • Spanish: trajinante — full of noisy activity
  • Spanish: bullicioso — full of noisy activity
  • Spanish: animado — full of noisy activity
  • Spanish: lleno de movimiento — full of noisy activity
  • Spanish: barullero — full of noisy activity
  • Spanish: barullento — full of noisy activity
  • Spanish: trasegador — full of noisy activity
  • Ottoman Turkish: قیزغین (kızgın) — full of noisy activity