bust someone's balls
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: bust one's balls
Sense 1
Meaning · English
To give someone a hard time, whether by playfully teasing or sincerely harassing them.
Register: slang, vulgar
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Henry: All day long I thought the guys in the helicopter were just local cops busting my balls over Lufthansa. But they turned out to be narcs.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review.
Common questions
What does “bust someone's balls” mean?
To give someone a hard time, whether by playfully teasing or sincerely harassing them.
Is “bust someone's balls” formal or informal?
bust someone's balls is generally slang, vulgar.