busy

[biz-ee]

adjective

busier, busiest 

1. actively and attentively engaged in work or a pastime.

   busy with her work.

   Synonyms: hardworking, assiduous
   Antonyms: indolent

2. not at leisure; otherwise engaged.

   He couldn't see any visitors because he was busy.

   Synonyms: working, occupied
   Antonyms: unoccupied

3. full of or characterized by activity.

   a busy life.

4. (of a telephone line) in use by a party or parties and not immediately accessible.

5. officious; meddlesome; prying.

6. ornate, disparate, or clashing in design or colors; cluttered with small, unharmonious details; fussy.

   The rug is too busy for this room.

verb (used with object)

busied, busying 

1. to keep occupied; make or keep busy.

   In summer, he busied himself keeping the lawn in order.

busy

/ ˈbɪzɪ /

adjective

1. actively or fully engaged; occupied

2. crowded with or characterized by activity

   a busy day

3. (of a room, telephone line, etc) in use; engaged

4. overcrowded with detail

   a busy painting

5. meddlesome; inquisitive; prying

verb

1. (tr) to make or keep (someone, esp oneself) busy; occupy

Other Word Forms

• nonbusy adjective
• overbusy adjective
• superbusy adjective
• unbusy adjective
• well-busied adjective
• busyness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of busy¹

First recorded before 950; Middle English busi, bisi, Old English bysig, bisig; cognate with Middle Low German, Middle Dutch besich, Dutch bezig

Word History and Origins

Origin of busy¹

Old English bisig ; related to Middle Dutch besich , perhaps to Latin festīnāre to hurry

Idioms and Phrases

• get busy

Synonym Study

Busy, diligent, industrious imply active or earnest effort to accomplish something, or a habitual attitude of such earnestness. Busy means actively employed, temporarily or habitually: a busy official. Diligent suggests earnest and constant effort or application, and usually connotes fondness for, or enjoyment of, what one is doing: a diligent student. Industrious often implies a habitual characteristic of steady and zealous application, often with a definite goal: an industrious clerk working for promotion.

Example Sentences

"When AR's father said the classroom was too busy, we then took him out of the classroom and he was taught one to one."

Read more on BBC

Exiting Raffles onto the busy road, I noticed across the street the spire of a snow-white Gothic chapel with stained glass windows.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And while work factors play into this — meaning people are sometimes too busy at their jobs to grab a bite — 17% of those surveyed said they forego the midday meal to save money.

Read more on MarketWatch

A very busy week includes earnings from five of the Mag.

Read more on MarketWatch

A giant yellow banner on a busy expressway linking New York's Brooklyn and Queens boroughs proclaims: "Vote Zohran -- for a city we can afford."

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• bustling 
• full 
• hectic 
• lively 
• restless