busted
Broken for good, or caught red-handed.
Updated September 21, 2026
busted pronunciation
/BUS-tid/
Meaning
Around the farm and the shop, busted usually means something quit working or got smashed. A busted axle, a busted screen door, a busted knuckle from the wrench slipping. Same word covers getting caught: you swipe a biscuit before supper and Mama says you're busted. Rural Southern talk leans hard on bust/busted where school English might say broken or caught.
How folks use it
- “Truck's busted again. Won't even turn over.”
- “We were sneaking out the back when Daddy caught us. Totally busted.”
Origin and etymology
Bust is an old informal form of burst that settled deep in American speech, especially Southern and Appalachian English, where folks say bust more than burst. Busted as "broken" grew out of that. The "caught" sense is wider U.S. slang that rides the same informal register folks already use for busting things.
Frequently asked questions
Does busted mean broken or caught?
Both. Context tells you. A busted fence is broken. "You're busted" means somebody saw what you did.