busy

[ biz-ee ]

/ ˈbɪz i /

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See synonyms for: busy / busied / busier / busiest on Thesaurus.com

adjective, bus·i·er, bus·i·est.

actively and attentively engaged in work or a pastime: busy with her work.

not at leisure; otherwise engaged: He couldn't see any visitors because he was busy.

full of or characterized by activity: a busy life.

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

officious; meddlesome; prying.

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), bus·ied, bus·y·ing.

to keep occupied; make or keep busy: In summer, he busied himself keeping the lawn in order.

OTHER WORDS FOR busy

1 assiduous, hardworking.

2 employed, occupied, working.

See synonyms for busy on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR busy

1 indolent.

2 unoccupied.

See antonyms for busy on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of busy

before 1000; Middle English busi, bisi,Old English bysig, bisig; cognate with Middle Low German, Middle Dutch besich,Dutch bezig

synonym study for busy

1. 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.

OTHER WORDS FROM busy

non·bus·y, adjectiveo·ver·bus·y, adjectivesu·per·bus·y, adjectiveun·bus·y, adjective

well-busied, adjective

Words nearby busy

bust-up, busty, busulfan, busuuti, busway, busy, busy as a beaver, busy bee, busybody, busy Lizzie, busyness

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use busy in a sentence

A full swivel ability makes it one of the best desk chairs for a busy office setting.
Best desk chair for any home office|PopSci Commerce Team|February 11, 2021|Popular-Science
We’ve put together regional road trip suggestions in various parts of the country to help you explore some of your area’s lesser-known national parks during the least busy time of the year.
4 Awesome Winter Road Trips to National Parks|Megan Michelson|February 11, 2021|Outside Online
When her son had his fill of piano lessons, Ellen Zavian began looking for some other activity to keep him busy.
How break dancing made the leap from ’80s pop culture to the Olympic stage|Rick Maese|February 9, 2021|Washington Post
Sorry to all my work today but I am busy with this Gorilla Glue girl.
She used Gorilla Glue as hairspray. After 15 washes and a trip to the ER, it still won’t budge.|Lateshia Beachum|February 8, 2021|Washington Post

We’re trying to recover from an administration that recklessly played down the pandemic and a Congress that’s perpetually in fight mode, too busy bickering to pass a relief bill that will fund a nationwide vaccine effort.
It’s Prague on the Potomac, as we wearily wait for a shot at the vaccine|Petula Dvorak|February 8, 2021|Washington Post
Bush busy engaging constituents on both sides of the same-sex marriage debate ahead of the 2004 presidential election.
Jeb Bush’s Unseen Anti-Gay Marriage Emails|Jackie Kucinich|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
At some point during his busy schedule, Israel found the time to write a book, titled The Global War on Morris.
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
If the world is going to end, why are evangelicals so busy trying to save it?
The Evangelical Apocalypse Is All Your Fault|Jay Michaelson|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He said it was okay, that he had been busy too… busy fighting serious intestinal problems.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I finally called Lee a couple of times and we talked but he was busy with guests at the house.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I was busy loading the piece when an exclamation of surprise from one of the men made me look up.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
It will be a busy session; and I want to see if I can't become a useful public man.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood
In cases in which no attempt is made to ignore the accusation, the small wits are wont to be busy discovering exculpations.
Children's Ways|James Sully
And since he was too busy catching angleworms for himself to help her and her husband, she wished he would keep out of sight.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
People are busy ballooning or driving; shooting like stars along railroads; or migrating like swallows or wild-geese.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various

British Dictionary definitions for busy

busy

/ (ˈbɪzɪ) /

adjective busier or busiest

actively or fully engaged; occupied

crowded with or characterized by activitya busy day

mainly US and Canadian (of a room, telephone line, etc) in use; engaged

overcrowded with detaila busy painting

meddlesome; inquisitive; prying

verb busies, busying or busied

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

Derived forms of busy

busyness, noun

Word Origin for busy

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with busy

busy

In addition to the idioms beginning with busy

busy as a beaver
busy work

also see:

get busy

busy

OTHER WORDS FOR busy

OPPOSITES FOR busy

Origin of busy

synonym study for busy

OTHER WORDS FROM busy

Words nearby busy

Words related to busy

How to use busy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for busy

Derived forms of busy

Word Origin for busy

Other Idioms and Phrases with busy