bristle
1 of 2noun
bris·tle ˈbri-səl 
: a short stiff coarse hair or filament
hog bristles
short bristle paint brushes
bristlelike
ˈbri-sə(l)-ˌlīk
adjective bristle
2 of 2verb
bristled; bristling ˈbris-liŋ
ˈbri-sə-
transitive verb
1
: to furnish with short stiff coarse hairs or filaments : to furnish with bristles
2
: to make aggressive or angry : to make bristly : ruffle
intransitive verb
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. Broad
Synonyms
Noun
- fiber
- filament
- hair
- thread
Verb
- abound
- brim
- bulge
- burst
- bustle
- buzz
- crawl
- hum
- overflow
- pullulate
- swarm
- teem
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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 Jamie Kim, Good Housekeeping, 13 Sep. 2022 To keep your umbrella looking fresh, first remove any dirt, leaves, and other debris with a soft bristle brush, Lillo says. Rachel Simon, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Sep. 2022 Using a soft-bristle brush, such as an old toothbrush or a dish brush, scrub the filter to remove buildup. Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Aug. 2022 Silicone brushes trap less water in the brush head and can be more durable than the traditional plastic bristle brushes. Jodhaira Rodriguez, Good Housekeeping, 24 May 2022 From the tips of their antennae to the bottoms of their little insect feet, these human-loving mosquitoes bristle with human-sensing accoutrement, says Leslie Vosshall, a neurobiologist at Rockefeller University. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 18 Aug. 2022 Check out this $23 best-selling bristle-free brush and scraper combo at Amazon, which works on stainless steel grates and has thousands of five-star ratings from shoppers. Rachel Simon, PEOPLE.com, 28 June 2022 One wrong bristle brush and your bouncy waves quickly transform into a frizzy Mia Thermopolis mess. ELLE, 1 July 2022 And speaking of Pattern Beauty, this slender, dual-sided tool from the brand features a comb and stiff bristle brush to help sculpt your baby hair. Tiffany Dodson, Harper's BAZAAR, 24 June 2022 Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY, 14 Sep. 2022 Die-hard Tolkienists may bristle at the idea of the show condensing so much history, but layering the action this way is undeniably effective when building a television show. Caroline Framke, Variety, 31 Aug. 2022 Brits understandably bristle when Americans make sweeping generalizations about their food, their politics, and the safety of their cities. Yasmeen Serhan, The Atlantic, 4 July 2022 Of course, VCs on continental Europe may bristle when hearing about a New Palo Alto centered around London train stations. Kevin Kelleher, Fortune, 27 June 2022 First, Erik Spoelstra would bristle at the notion of terming Duncan Robinson’s shift to the second team as a demotion. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2022 That is where people bristle… being told something is for them. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 3 June 2022 The personable presence behind Setsunai Noodles might bristle at the formal title chef. Leslie Kelly, Forbes, 17 May 2022 But even some of the most progressive West Coasters bristle at the thought of giving up cooking with fire, with many home chefs recalling bad experiences with earlier electric stoves. Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2021 See More
Noun
Use it on oven door glass with a soft bristle brush to restore the view. Jamie Kim, Good Housekeeping, 13 Sep. 2022 To keep your umbrella looking fresh, first remove any dirt, leaves, and other debris with a soft bristle brush, Lillo says. Rachel Simon, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Sep. 2022 Using a soft-bristle brush, such as an old toothbrush or a dish brush, scrub the filter to remove buildup. Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Aug. 2022 Silicone brushes trap less water in the brush head and can be more durable than the traditional plastic bristle brushes. Jodhaira Rodriguez, Good Housekeeping, 24 May 2022 From the tips of their antennae to the bottoms of their little insect feet, these human-loving mosquitoes bristle with human-sensing accoutrement, says Leslie Vosshall, a neurobiologist at Rockefeller University. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 18 Aug. 2022 Check out this $23 best-selling bristle-free brush and scraper combo at Amazon, which works on stainless steel grates and has thousands of five-star ratings from shoppers. Rachel Simon, PEOPLE.com, 28 June 2022 One wrong bristle brush and your bouncy waves quickly transform into a frizzy Mia Thermopolis mess. ELLE, 1 July 2022 And speaking of Pattern Beauty, this slender, dual-sided tool from the brand features a comb and stiff bristle brush to help sculpt your baby hair. Tiffany Dodson, Harper's BAZAAR, 24 June 2022 Verb
Sarver, according to reports, had the gall to bristle at the punishment. Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY, 14 Sep. 2022 Die-hard Tolkienists may bristle at the idea of the show condensing so much history, but layering the action this way is undeniably effective when building a television show. Caroline Framke, Variety, 31 Aug. 2022 Brits understandably bristle when Americans make sweeping generalizations about their food, their politics, and the safety of their cities. Yasmeen Serhan, The Atlantic, 4 July 2022 Of course, VCs on continental Europe may bristle when hearing about a New Palo Alto centered around London train stations. Kevin Kelleher, Fortune, 27 June 2022 First, Erik Spoelstra would bristle at the notion of terming Duncan Robinson’s shift to the second team as a demotion. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2022 That is where people bristle… being told something is for them. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 3 June 2022 The personable presence behind Setsunai Noodles might bristle at the formal title chef. Leslie Kelly, Forbes, 17 May 2022 But even some of the most progressive West Coasters bristle at the thought of giving up cooking with fire, with many home chefs recalling bad experiences with earlier electric stoves. Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English bristil, from brust bristle, from Old English byrst; akin to Old High German burst bristle, and perhaps to Latin fastigium top
Verb
verbal derivative of bristle entry 1
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Phrases Containing bristle
Kids Definition
bristle 1 of 2
noun
bris·tle ˈbri-səl
1
: a short stiff hair
a hog's bristle
2
: a stiff hair or something like a hair fastened in a brush
bristle
2 of 2verb
bristled; bristling
1
: to rise up and stiffen like bristles
Her evil laugh makes your hair bristle.
2
: to show signs of anger
The judge bristled at the reminder of her stupidity. Ellen Raskin, The Westing Game
Ellen Raskin, The Westing Game3
: to be covered with
The bush bristled with thorns.
Medical Definition
bristle
noun
bris·tle ˈbris-əl
: a short stiff coarse hair or filament
bristling 1 of 2
adjective
as in bristly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- bristly
- seething
- smoldering
- boiling
- passionate
- sizzling
- vitriolic
- burning
- smouldering
- huffy
- antagonistic
- virulent
- cross
- malevolent
- indignant
- angry
- raving
- acrid
- steaming
- ranting
- rankled
- acrimonious
- antipathetic
- spiteful
- riled
- rancorous
- ballistic
- incensed
- vengeful
- irate
- apoplectic
- worked up
- fuming
- foaming
- livid
- enraged
- embittered
- angered
- piqued
- vindictive
- roiled
- inimical
- infuriated
- stormy
- inflamed
- furious
- wrathful
- resentful
- rabid
- enflamed
- outraged
- sulky
- choleric
- fretful
- peevish
- distant
- bitter
- snappish
- testy
- icy
- ticked
- exasperated
- disagreeable
- perturbed
- hopping
- unfriendly
- irascible
- disapproving
- infuriate
- pugnacious
- petulant
- mad
- wrought (up)
- unpleasant
- sore
- dyspeptic
- bilious
- belligerent
- churlish
- steamed up
- cheesed off
- shirty
- cantankerous
- aggravated
- teed off
- wroth
- ill-tempered
- antisocial
- riley
- touchy
- irritable
- frigid
- annoyed
- inflammable
- ornery
- cold
- grouchy
- put out
- ireful
- quarrelsome
- querulous
- horn-mad
- sorehead
- crabby
- grumpy
- hot
- disputatious
- cool
- contentious
- soreheaded
- ill-humored
- cranky
- argumentative
- contrary
- fussy
- bearish
- quick-tempered
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- accepting
- accommodating
- delighted
- agreeable
- amenable
- cordial
- friendly
- pleased
- sympathetic
- obliging
- complaisant
- angerless
- content
- placid
- amicable
- tolerant
- calm
- kind
- satisfied
- happy
- sweet
- empathetic
- amiable
- genial
- pleasant
- serene
- tranquil
- understanding
- peaceable
- affable
- pacific
- easygoing
- good-natured
- unembittered
- good-tempered
bristling
2 of 2verb
1
as in bursting
to be copiously supplied a recent college grad thrilled to be starting a new life in a city bristling with possibilities Synonyms & Similar Words
- bursting
- brimming
- buzzing
- bulging
- teeming
- humming
- swarming
- abounding
- bustling
- pullulating
- overflowing
- crawling
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- lacking
- wanting
- needing
2
as in storming
to express one's anger usually violently the man bristled at the accusation, and threatened to file a lawsuit Synonyms & Similar Words
- storming
- raging
- fuming
- rampaging
- blustering
- running amok
- fulminating
- steaming
- seething
- running amuck
- smoldering
- raving
- foaming
- making a scene
- ranting
- fretting
- smouldering
- stewing
- burning
- carrying on
- chafing
- taking on
- blowing up
- flipping (out)
- flaring (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- containing
- soothing
- restraining
- stifling
- collecting
- suppressing
- composing
- curbing
- smothering
- checking
- swallowing
- strangling
- subduing
- repressing
- tempering
- pacifying
- allaying
- choking (back)
- appeasing
- moderating
- reining
- cooling
- pocketing
- easing
- relaxing
- quieting
- calming
- settling
- toning (down)
- quelling
- hushing
- stilling
- letting up
- tinker
- tinker (with)
- tinker mackerel
- tinker with
- tinker's curse
- tinker's cuss
- tinker's dam
- tinker's damn
- tinker's root
- tinker's weed
- tinkerbird
- tinkered
- tinkered (with)
- tinkered with
- tinkerer
- tinkerers
- tinkering
- tinkering (with)
- tinkering with
- tinkerings
- tinkers
- tinkers (with)
- tinkers with
- Tinkertoy
- tinkertoys