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

He said he has been busy, and the President “has got other things to do.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Imagine you’re pulling into one of Metro Rail’s new Downtown destinations deep under the busy city streets.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Out of necessity Ukraine prioritizes low-cost solutions, and installing this equipment will be cheaper over time than repeatedly shutting down busy European airports.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

After a few quiet years, pandemic darling Peloton is busier than ever.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He also learned early at Amazon the importance of focus for an organization, especially when his inventor mind was busy churning out new ideas.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bustling 
• full 
• hectic 
• lively 
• restless