busywork
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of busywork
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
AI is increasingly doing away with the need to do busywork at work, freeing us up for more important tasks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 10, 2026
The seed of a breakthrough might sprout if employees warm up their brains with some busywork, like clearing inboxes or organizing calendars.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026
But when you’re occupied by that idle busywork, it’s easy enough to convince yourself it matters.
From Slate • Aug. 13, 2025
On the education front, instead of consulting books and other arcane text to write papers or prepare for exams, some students are offloading that busywork to ChatGPT.
From Salon • Jul. 7, 2025
Principal Marshall looked up from all his busywork.
From "Ghost" by Jason Reynolds
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
