BRISTLE Synonyms: 85 Similar and Opposite Words

bristle 1 of 2

noun

ˈbri-səl

Definition of bristle

as in fiber

a thin, flexible structure that resembles a hair a hairbrush with plastic bristles

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

bristle

2 of 2

verb

as in to burst

to be copiously supplied a recent college grad thrilled to be starting a new life in a city bristling with possibilities

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to storm

to express one's anger usually violently the man bristled at the accusation, and threatened to file a lawsuit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of bristle

Noun

Next to her, Deary sported the quintessential Gen Z slicked-back ponytail, parted in the middle and bristle-brushed back from the sides of her head. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026 Cleveland Clinic warns that hard bristles and aggressive scrubbing can wear down enamel and damage gum tissue. — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026

Verb

Companies that previously touted the regulator’s strength have bristled as the agency now pursues policies specific to prediction markets. — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 2026 The moment is a test for the UAE government, which has burnished a reputation for building effective measures against extremist activities but also has bristled in the past over criticism of security lapses. — Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bristle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bristle

Noun

The interior is finished in wood fiber panels, with laminate flooring.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
Their axons, the long cable-like fibers that transmit electrical and chemical signals between cells, are shorter.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of fiber

Verb

When that bubble burst in the Panic of 1893, a third of railroads went bust, more than 500 banks failed, and the economy plunged into a four-year depression.

— Ming Lu, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
When a bank of televisions showed horses bursting through the starting gate, feet stomped on the club’s carpet.

— Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of burst

Verb

Protests last week devolved into mayhem, with people setting fires, storming public buildings, smashing shop windows, looting and clashing with police.

— ELITSA GADEVA, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Republicans stormed to their first majority in the House (54 seats net) in 40 years and recaptured the Senate with eight new seats there as well.

— Ron Elving, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of storm

Noun

From YouTube influencers to Reddit threads, the health and wellness side of the internet is full of talk about peptides.

— Renée Onque, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
Social feeds and Reddit threads are where most grocery dupe discoveries happen, with shoppers posting side by side comparisons and taste tests of store brands against national favorites.

— Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of thread

Verb

Earlier in the week, the team said the 23-year-old NFL player had been dealing with a bulging disc in his back.

— Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
The fear of effeminization has never felt so acute, which presumably is why Matt Damon’s Odysseus needed bulging muscles, to ensure his sensitivity was mitigated by pecs of steel.

— Jay Weissberg, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of bulge

Verb

One American season later, the race demons raged and all of those commitments are dropped.

— Kamau Bobb October 21, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Also intertwined are ancient myths of warring city-states, the raw, moody poetry of John Keats, and the modern battle between a faithless husband and his wife, the poem’s raging speaker.

— Merve Emre, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of rage

Noun

Meanwhile, North Korea has been adding mines, barbed wire fences, tactical roads, anti-tank walls and other fortifications to what's already one of the world's most heavily armed borders.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
The deputy made a U-turn and saw the man, who deputies say is 49-year-old Brenton Burke, kneeling under the truck’s steering column and pulling wires, the arrest report states.

— David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of wire

Verb

On this cloudy Saturday morning in September, Cape Town's College of Magic is buzzing with energy as dozens of students are competing in the annual junior magic contest.

— Julie Bourdin, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
Fielder and Oppenheim’s word-of-mouth sensation has taken pop culture by storm, earning millions at the box office, winning near-universal critical praise and generating a ton of press coverage, as well as Oscar buzz.

— David Mack, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of buzz

Browse Nearby Words

briskness

bristle

bristled

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bristle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bristle. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of bristle

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on bristle

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes