like gangbusters

English

Etymology

From the American true crime radio drama Gang Busters (1936–1957), which opened abruptly with loud sound effects of police sirens, machine guns, etc.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Prepositional phrase

like gangbusters

1. (simile, colloquial, originally US) Vigorously, rapidly, zealously, or forcibly; in a manner which has considerable impact.
   • 1954 December 9, Hedda Hopper, “Chandler, Baxter 'Spoilers' Costars”, in Los Angeles Times, page B12:

     "Put an actress in knock-out clothes and she'll come through like gangbusters."

   • 2021 July 14, Paul Lilly, “Chromebooks are selling like gangbusters, but the party could be coming to an end”, in PC Gamer‎^[1]:

     Chromebooks are selling like gangbusters, but the party could be coming to an end [title]

   • 2022 January 7, Richard Lawson, “The Best-Picture Race: Sure Things, Crowd-Pleasers, and the Late-Breaking Potential Upsets”, in Vanity Fair‎^[2]:

     Wearing its politics heavier on its sleeve is Being the Ricardos, a late-breaking Amazon Studios film from Aaron Sorkin that played like gangbusters at industry screenings in New York and Los Angeles.