bristled; bristling
ˈbris-liŋ 
ˈbri-sə-
1
: to furnish with short stiff coarse hairs or filaments : to furnish with bristles
1
a
: to rise and stand stiffly erect
quills bristling
b
: to raise the bristles (as in anger)
a snarling, bristling dog
2
: to take on an aggressively defensive attitude (as in response to a slight or criticism)
he bristled at the accusations of corruption
3
a
: to be full of or covered with especially something suggestive of bristles
roofs bristled with chimneys
b
: to be full of something specified
book bristles with detail and irony—
W. J. Broad
W. J. BroadExamples of bristle in a Sentence
Noun
a face covered with bristles
the bristles of a brush
Verb
Electricity makes your hair bristle.
a recent college grad thrilled to be starting a new life in a city bristling with possibilities
Recent Examples on the Web
Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 9 Apr. 2025
Razor handles and bristles are made of deer horn, ebony or resin by artisans, who also create brushes and combs, luxurious saffiano leather beauty cases, and the brand’s iconic marble jars.
—Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 7 Apr. 2025
Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2025
Nish Kumar stands out for his combative nature and jokes that bristle with anger.
—Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bristle
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Noun
This robot vacuum is equipped with a multidirectional floating roller brush with rubber and bristles, which works overtime (hello, 8,000Pa suction!) and removes dust and debris from carpets.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 9 Apr. 2025
Razor handles and bristles are made of deer horn, ebony or resin by artisans, who also create brushes and combs, luxurious saffiano leather beauty cases, and the brand’s iconic marble jars.
—Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
However, Rourke’s smack-talking continued to bristle his other house mates, leading to his departure from the Celebrity Big Brother house Saturday.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2025
Nish Kumar stands out for his combative nature and jokes that bristle with anger.
—Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bristle
Cite this Entry
“Bristle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bristle. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bristle
1 of 2 noun
bris·tle
ˈbris-əl
: a short stiff hair or something like a hair
bristled
adjective
-əld
bristly
adjective
-(ə-)lē
bristle
2 of 2 verb
bristled; bristling
-(ə-)liŋ
1
: to rise up and stiffen like bristles
makes your hair bristle
quills bristling in all directions
2
: to show signs of anger
bristled at the insult
3
: to appear as if covered with bristles
a harbor bristling with the masts of ships
bristly
adjective
-(ə-)lē
Medical Definition
bristle
noun
bris·tle
ˈbris-əl
: a short stiff coarse hair or filament
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