English-English Dictionary

Meaning of the word bust in English

What does bust mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.

bust

US /bʌst/
UK /bʌst/
"bust" picture

Noun

1.

a woman's chest or breasts

Example:
•
The dress had a fitted bust.
•
She measured her bust size for a new bra.
Synonym:
chest bosom breasts
2.

a sculpture of a person's head, shoulders, and chest

Example:
•
The museum displayed a marble bust of Julius Caesar.
•
A bronze bust of the artist stood on the pedestal.
Synonym:
sculpture statue
3.

a sudden decline in business or economic activity; a period of economic depression

Example:
•
The company faced a major bust after the market crash.
•
The dot-com bust in the early 2000s affected many tech companies.
Synonym:
collapse failure downturn recession depression

Verb

1.

to break, split, or burst

Example:
•
The old pipe finally bust, causing a flood.
•
He bust his knee playing football.
Synonym:
break burst smash rupture
2.

to raid or arrest

Example:
•
The police decided to bust the illegal gambling ring.
•
They were busted for selling drugs.
Synonym:
raid arrest apprehend catch

Adjective

broken or damaged

Example:
•
The old television is completely bust.
•
My car is bust, so I have to walk.
Synonym:
broken damaged kaput out of order
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Related Word:
busted busting bust a move bust a gut bust your ass