Synonyms for

Bust

Verb / bʌst / Another word for bust — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

to break or smash something, or to stop something from working

Synonyms & similar words

stonybroke broke femalechest fizzle bout break raid stonebroke flop rupture binge wear snap burst tear skint fallapart wearout repair break smash shatter destroy ruin crush demolish wreck terminate end stop halt cease discontinue abolish annul nullify invalidate terminate kill

Synonyms by register

Formal

failure collapse ruin downfall

Informal

flop washout dud bomb

Literary

undoing demise wreck

Antonyms

success triumph victory achievement accomplishment win

Common collocations

  • bust out
  • bust up
  • bust a move
  • bust a gut
  • bust in
  • bust out laughing
  • bust a rhyme

Word family

noun bust
verb bust
adjective busted

Usage note

The word 'bust' can refer to a failure, a police raid, or a physical break. Its informal usage is very common, especially in phrases like 'bust out laughing'.

Example sentences

  1. I accidentally bust my sister's toy when I was playing with it.
  2. He tried to bust the door open with a hammer.
  3. The police bust the drug dealer's operation.
  4. I can't believe my car just busted on the way to work.
  5. She busted her diet by eating a whole cake.

Quotes

  • I bust the windows out your car. - Jazmine Sullivan
  • I bust a rhyme and then I break. - Beastie Boys
  • I'm gonna bust through that door and shout 'I'm back!' - Arnold Schwarzenegger

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