How to pronounce bust
Say it like BUHST. Bust is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- BUHST
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bust pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BUHSTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of bust
American and British speakers say bust in essentially the same way: /bʌst/ in the US and /bʌst/ in the UK.
British respelling: BUHST.
What does bust mean?
- ruin completely“He busted my radio!”
- search without warning, make a sudden surprise attack on“The police raided the crack house”
- separate or cause to separate abruptly“The rope snapped”“tear the paper”
- a complete failure“the play was a dismal flop”
- the chest of a woman
- a sculpture of the head and shoulders of a person
- lacking funds“`skint' is a British slang term”
Where does bust come from?
From Middle English busten, a variant of bursten, bresten (“to burst”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with bust
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bust.
Questions about saying bust
How do you pronounce bust?
Say BUHST. The American pronunciation is /bʌst/. In British English it is /bʌst/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bust?
Bust is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BUHST.
Do Americans and Brits say bust the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bʌst/ and the British form is /bʌst/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.