bust-up

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

An angry argument.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

It was a real old bust-up. I do wish I knew what it was all about.

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).

Common questions

What does “bust-up” mean?

An angry argument.

Is “bust-up” formal or informal?

bust-up is generally slang.