chiefly British
: a person who entertains in a public place for donations
-ed/-ing/-s
1
dialectal, British
: to make ready : prepare
they're busking the Covenant for sea—
R. L. Stevenson
R. L. Stevenson2
dialectal, British
: to dress up : adorn
cowslips busk the brae
3
dialectal, British
: to dress (flies) on hooks for fishing
dialectal, British
: to make oneself ready especially hastily : hurry up
plural -s
: a thin rigid strip (as of metal, whalebone, or wood) inserted in the front of a bodice or corset for stiffening and support used from the 16th to the 19th centuries
plural -s
: a Creek Indian festival of first-fruits and purification that was celebrated when the first green corn was edible and that marked the beginning of the new year
-ed/-ing/-s
British
: to entertain especially by singing or reciting on the street or in a pub
Examples of busker in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2026
Mike Yung is here, New York City subway busker.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, buskers entertain people in line playing drums with buckets.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
The brothers gaze upon commonplace sights of crowds, peddlers, and buskers with fascination and wonder.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for busker
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Noun
His story, from New York City busker to his felony conviction for running drugs to a full-scale breakthrough over the past five years, runs parallel to that of McLane.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2026
Mike Yung is here, New York City subway busker.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, buskers entertain people in line playing drums with buckets.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
The brothers gaze upon commonplace sights of crowds, peddlers, and buskers with fascination and wonder.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for busker
Cite this Entry
“Busker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/busker. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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