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
Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2025
The larvae are usually about an 1/8-inch long, tan and covered in hairy bristles.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2025
Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Former coach Michael Malone bristled over losing Caldwell-Pope to the Orlando Magic.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bristle
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Noun
Next, vacuum the filter using a soft-bristle brush attachment to remove the bulk of the dust and debris buildup.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2025
The larvae are usually about an 1/8-inch long, tan and covered in hairy bristles.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
Bondi’s response was characteristically bristling and evasive; Whitehouse asked about the money seven times, to no avail.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Former coach Michael Malone bristled over losing Caldwell-Pope to the Orlando Magic.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 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 29 Oct. 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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