to bust

Examples

• All

• I'm going back up there in a night or two and busting her out.

  Fiction book (1995)

• We're going to bust these guys.

  Detention (2003)

• So they, they come into the building and they got, they bust into the third floor.

  Shawn Ryan Show

• What if the cops bust down the door and start blazing away?

  Fiction book (1991)

• That Dietrichson case just busted wide open.

  Double Indemnity (1944)

• A worker hurries up to them and busts into the conversation, breathless.

  Fiction book (1993)

• The police decided to bust the drug operation late at night to catch everyone off guard.

• Early this morning, officers bust into the warehouse and arrested several suspects.

Synonyms

A

to arrest

vsto bust

∞ 3.4

To detain someone and take them to the police station

often implies sudden police action on people or places rather than only formal custody procedures

R

to raid

vsto bust

67 4.1

To enter a place suddenly to search for people or evidence

is the broader idea of sudden police action to search or take people into custody

N

to nab

vsto bust

• Informal

54 5.8

Catch someone suddenly to stop or arrest them

includes sudden actions that target people as well as sudden searches of places

C

to cop

vsto bust

• Informal

3 7.0

Catch and arrest someone, usually by the police

emphasizes sudden police operations to seize people or search locations rather than casual taking

B

to bust the drug ring

vsto bust

• NSFW

1 7.2

To break up an illegal group that sells drugs, usually by police

focuses on sudden police raids or seizing people rather than long-term dismantling efforts

B

to bustin

vsto bust

• Slang

9.8

To arrest someone, usually by the police

is the general idea of sudden police action to seize people or places

Antonyms

R

release

282 1.8

An act of letting someone or something go free from being held

L

to liberate

202 4.3

Set someone free from prison or unfair control

Idioms

B

to bust someone's chops

• Informal

14 9.0

To tease or nag someone, often in a playful way

B

to bust a cap

• Offensive

11 9.9

Shoot someone with a gun, often during violence or threats

B

to bust a nut

• Offensive

5 9.9

To release semen during sex and used jokingly to show extreme excitement

Phrasal Verbs

B

to bust up

• Informal

52 5.8

To break something into pieces by hitting it hard

B

to bust ass

• NSFW

44 9.1

To work very hard to finish something

B

to bust butt

• Informal

14 9.4

To work very hard to finish a task

B

to bust a move

• Informal

13 8.9

To dance with a lot of energy to show skill or have fun

B

to bust on

• Informal

8 8.1

To tease someone in a playful way

B

to bust my chops

• Informal

7 9.3

To tease or criticize someone in a friendly way

B

to bust the drug ring

• NSFW

1 7.2

To break up an illegal group that sells drugs, usually by police

Compounds

D

drug bust

• NSFW

18 3.1

An occasion when police take illegal drugs and arrest people

B

bust-up

• UK

1 7.1

A serious argument that ends a friendship or other relationship

B

buy-and-bust operation

• NSFW

1 7.6

A police action in which officers pretend to buy illegal drugs to arrest sellers

D

drugs bust

• NSFW

1 3.7

An event when police take illegal drugs and arrest people

B

bust-up takeover

• Archaic

9.9

New owners sell a company's parts to pay the debt they used to buy it

How Forceful

to storm

78 4.4

to bust

• Informal

202 6.1

to detain

• Formal

197 5.9

search

∞ 1.0

to question

375 1.0

Surface Forms

Etymology