Word
busted
Phoneticsbust·ed, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbəstɪd/
UK/bˈʌstɪd/
Definitions
01caught doing something wrong
B2 · Upper Intermediate Slang · Informal
adj. caught by someone while you are doing something you should not be doing.
adj. apprehended or discovered while committing a transgression or crime.
“He was totally busted when his teacher saw him using his phone during the test.”
“The teenagers were busted by the security guard while trying to sneak into the abandoned warehouse after midnight.”
02broken or damaged
B2 · Upper Intermediate Slang · Informal
adj. broken, damaged, or not working correctly.
adj. rendered inoperable due to mechanical failure or physical damage.
“I can't call you because my screen is busted and I can't see anything.”
“The old washing machine is completely busted, so we will have to wash our clothes by hand until the new one arrives.”
03ugly or unattractive
C1 · Advanced Slang · Informal
adj. very ugly or looking very bad.
adj. highly unattractive or aesthetically unpleasing; often used to describe a person's appearance or a poorly made object.
“That old car looks busted with all that rust and the missing door.”
“The critics described the new building's design as busted, claiming it clashed horribly with the historic architecture of the street.”
Antonyms
04having no money
C1 · Advanced Slang · Informal · American English
adj. having no money left; broke.
adj. lacking financial resources; synonymous with 'broke' in informal contexts.
“I'm totally busted until payday, so I can't go out for dinner tonight.”
“After paying his tuition and rent, he found himself completely busted and unable to afford even basic groceries.”
Real-World Examples
“Corning even collects phones busted by consumers in the wild to find unusual damage.” Etymology
See bust (Etymology 2)
From bust + -ed. See bust (Etymology 1).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. busted flush
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/busted