adjective
busted
BUHS-tihd
adjective
1
Broken or not working.
"My phone screen is busted after I dropped it."
2
Caught doing something wrong.
"He got busted sneaking out after curfew."
3
Broke; having no money.
"I'm busted until payday."
How to Use Busted
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishInformal past tense/adjective from "bust" — broken, caught out, or penniless depending on context.
When to use it
Informal; common in casual speech but avoided in formal writing.
Word Forms
more busted comparative, more busted comparative, most busted superlative, most busted superlative
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My phone screen is _____ after I dropped it.