hustle and bustle

Meaning

Busy, noisy, and energetic activity, typically associated with crowded places like cities, markets, or transit hubs. It is a binomial pair (always in this order) used to describe the lively but sometimes overwhelming atmosphere of a place.

Examples

• I love the hustle and bustle of the local fish market in the morning.

  I love the hustle and bustle of the local fish market in the morning.

• After living in Tokyo, I needed to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

  After living in Tokyo, I needed to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

• The holiday season brings a lot of hustle and bustle to the shopping malls.

  The holiday season brings a lot of hustle and bustle to the shopping malls.

• Despite the hustle and bustle of London, we found a quiet park to relax in.

  Despite the hustle and bustle of London, we found a quiet park to relax in.

• She thrives in the hustle and bustle of a busy newsroom.

  She thrives in the hustle and bustle of a busy newsroom.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I don't like the bustle and hustle of big cities.

  ✓ I don't like the hustle and bustle of big cities.

  This is a fixed binomial phrase. The word order cannot be reversed; it must always be 'hustle and bustle'.

• ✗ There was too much hustle-bustle in the street.

  ✓ There was too much hustle and bustle in the street.

  Do not drop the conjunction 'and'. The full phrase is required.

Related Expressions

Practice

• We rented a cabin in the woods to get away from the ___ of city life.

  💡 The busy, noisy energy of a place

  Show answer

  hustle and bustle

• The train station was filled with the usual morning ___.

  💡 Crowded, fast-paced activity

  Show answer

  hustle and bustle