busy
1 of 2adjective
ˈbi-zē 
busier; busiest
1
a
: engaged in action : occupied
She's busy studying.
has enough work to keep him busy for a while
b
: being in use
found the telephone busy
2
: full of activity : bustling
a busy seaport
3
: foolishly or intrusively active : meddling
a busy, fussy sort of man much concerned with regulating everything
A. M. Young
A. M. Young4
: full of distracting detail
a busy design
busily
ˈbi-zə-lē
adverb busy
2 of 2verb
busied; busying
transitive verb
: to make engaged in action : to make busy (see busy entry 1 sense 1a) : occupy
busied herself about the room
intransitive verb
: bustle
small boats busied to and fro Quentin Crewe
Quentin Crewe
Synonyms
Adjective
- active
- assiduous
- bustling
- diligent
- employed
- engaged
- hopping
- industrious
- laborious
- occupied
- sedulous
- tied-up
- working
Verb
- absorb
- bemuse
- catch up
- engage
- engross
- enthrall
- enthral
- enwrap
- fascinate
- grip
- immerse
- interest
- intrigue
- involve
- occupy
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective She's busy preparing for her test. Are you busy? Can I talk to you for a minute? I will be busy cleaning the house. I'm sorry I haven't called. I've been so busy. busy people who don't have time to cook I got enough work to keep me busy for a while. He is a very busy person. He's been busy in the kitchen all afternoon. My week has been so busy! Is there any time in your busy schedule for us to have lunch next week? Verb the video game busied the child for hours See More
Recent Examples on the Web Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2022 Walking became my mode of exercising, and the busy streets of DC were my gym. Christa Sgobba, SELF, 7 Sep. 2022 President Vladimir Putin claimed to be too busy to attend. Jim Heintz And, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Sep. 2022 Meant to get this up yesterday, but was too busy celebrating. Diane J. Cho, Peoplemag, 22 Aug. 2022 But for now, the robot on Mars is too busy outliving its expected lifetime and continually collecting scientific data about the red planet to answer the question: Did this freezing, dry and airless planet ever support life? Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 25 July 2022 And because many musicians are too busy to vet a particular nonprofit that interests them, NFF takes on that vetting part, as part of their usual grantmaking process. Michael Klein, SPIN, 22 July 2022 And yet, Piccolo is constantly called upon by his former student Gohan (Kyle Hebert) to look after his daughter Pan (Jeannie Tirado), picking her up from school when her dad's too busy with scholarly research. Christian Holub, EW.com, 25 Aug. 2022 But Liquori was too busy trying to earn a spot at linebacker to reflect on the team’s previous success. Nate Weitzer, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Aug. 2022 Jasmine Washington, Seventeen, 20 Apr. 2022 In the old days—the ’90s—the affluent but creatively stifled would busy themselves DJing behind a turntable. Marisa Meltzer, Town & Country, 31 Mar. 2022 The challenge of transferring patients from rural communities to outlying hospitals, and from those hospitals to busy Anchorage facilities, was a factor in the decision. Zaz Hollander, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Oct. 2021 One fear is that those who have the resources to help effect action on climate change will instead busy themselves with building their own escape pods. Anna Russel, The New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2021 One fear is that those who have the resources to help effect action on climate change will instead busy themselves with building their own escape pods. Anna Russel, The New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2021 The cabin is too secluded to wander off-property, so guests busy themselves with activities. Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2021 One fear is that those who have the resources to help effect action on climate change will instead busy themselves with building their own escape pods. Anna Russel, The New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2021 One fear is that those who have the resources to help effect action on climate change will instead busy themselves with building their own escape pods. Anna Russel, The New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2021 See More
Adjective
If this fall’s busy exhibition schedule is anything to go by, the American museum ecosystem is well on the way to a full recovery after the trials of the pandemic. Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2022 Walking became my mode of exercising, and the busy streets of DC were my gym. Christa Sgobba, SELF, 7 Sep. 2022 President Vladimir Putin claimed to be too busy to attend. Jim Heintz And, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Sep. 2022 Meant to get this up yesterday, but was too busy celebrating. Diane J. Cho, Peoplemag, 22 Aug. 2022 But for now, the robot on Mars is too busy outliving its expected lifetime and continually collecting scientific data about the red planet to answer the question: Did this freezing, dry and airless planet ever support life? Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 25 July 2022 And because many musicians are too busy to vet a particular nonprofit that interests them, NFF takes on that vetting part, as part of their usual grantmaking process. Michael Klein, SPIN, 22 July 2022 And yet, Piccolo is constantly called upon by his former student Gohan (Kyle Hebert) to look after his daughter Pan (Jeannie Tirado), picking her up from school when her dad's too busy with scholarly research. Christian Holub, EW.com, 25 Aug. 2022 But Liquori was too busy trying to earn a spot at linebacker to reflect on the team’s previous success. Nate Weitzer, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Aug. 2022 Verb
Wedding planning isn't the only thing keeping the Olympic gold medalist busy these days. Jasmine Washington, Seventeen, 20 Apr. 2022 In the old days—the ’90s—the affluent but creatively stifled would busy themselves DJing behind a turntable. Marisa Meltzer, Town & Country, 31 Mar. 2022 The challenge of transferring patients from rural communities to outlying hospitals, and from those hospitals to busy Anchorage facilities, was a factor in the decision. Zaz Hollander, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Oct. 2021 One fear is that those who have the resources to help effect action on climate change will instead busy themselves with building their own escape pods. Anna Russel, The New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2021 One fear is that those who have the resources to help effect action on climate change will instead busy themselves with building their own escape pods. Anna Russel, The New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2021 The cabin is too secluded to wander off-property, so guests busy themselves with activities. Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2021 One fear is that those who have the resources to help effect action on climate change will instead busy themselves with building their own escape pods. Anna Russel, The New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2021 One fear is that those who have the resources to help effect action on climate change will instead busy themselves with building their own escape pods. Anna Russel, The New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Verb
Middle English bisy, from Old English bisig; akin to Middle Dutch & Middle Low German besich busy
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Phrases Containing busy
Kids Definition
busy 1 of 2
adjective
ˈbi-zē
busier; busiest
1
: actively at work
2
: being used
I tried to call, but the line was busy.
3
: full of activity
a busy day
busy
2 of 2verb
busied; busying
: to make busy
I busied myself with chores.
busy 1 of 2
adjective
1
as in diligent
involved in often constant activity the deadline is in two days, so everyone at work has been extremely busy Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- diligent
- engaged
- occupied
- working
- employed
- preoccupied
- active
- bustling
- industrious
- immersed
- assiduous
- laborious
- buzzing
- going
- hopping
- focused
- swamped
- concentrating
- absorbed
- sedulous
- engrossed
- tied-up
- humming
- lively
- running
- vibrant
- operating
- thriving
- functioning
- energetic
- happening
- living
- focussed
- animated
- operational
- flourishing
- vigorous
- hardworking
- astir
- intent
- knee-deep
- tireless
- alive
- operative
- functional
- indefatigable
- untiring
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- idle
- inactive
- unemployed
- unoccupied
- free
- unbusy
- sleepy
- quiescent
- slow
- dormant
- asleep
- lifeless
- passive
- latent
- inert
- dull
- dead
- inoperative
- nonoperating
2
as in buzzing
marked by much life, movement, or activity the busy, often hectic floor of the New York Stock Exchange Synonyms & Similar Words
- buzzing
- vibrant
- crowded
- thriving
- humming
- lively
- populous
- bustling
- brisk
- happening
- alive
- astir
- animated
- abuzz
- hopping
- flourishing
- stirring
- rousing
- kinetic
- abubble
- teeming
- swarming
- thronging
- overflowing
- abounding
- aboil
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sleepy
- inactive
- dead
- lifeless
- asleep
3
as in intruding
thrusting oneself where one is not welcome or invited she's one of those busy production facilitators—always concerned about other people's work and never her own Synonyms & Similar Words
- intruding
- interfering
- annoying
- nosy
- officious
- meddling
- pushy
- pushing
- rude
- meddlesome
- nosey
- intrusive
- prying
- obtrusive
- presumptuous
- curious
- snoopy
- protrusive
- inquisitive
- presuming
- harassing
- invading
- trespassing
- bumptious
- brazen
- impudent
- insolent
- bold
- impertinent
- overbearing
- pestiferous
- superserviceable
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unobtrusive
- quiet
- silent
- uninvolved
- withdrawn
- retiring
- reticent
- reclusive
- reserved
- subdued
- restrained
- inhibited
- taciturn
- hands-off
busy
2 of 2verb
as in to interest
to hold the attention of the video game busied the child for hours Synonyms & Similar Words
- interest
- occupy
- intrigue
- involve
- fascinate
- immerse
- engage
- grip
- attract
- distract
- engross
- preoccupy
- bemuse
- absorb
- enthrall
- enthral
- catch up
- obsess
- catch one's eye
- enchant
- charm
- captivate
- enwrap
- beguile
- allure
- mesmerize
- hypnotize
- monopolize
- hog
- bewitch
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- weary
- bore
- tire
- pall
- jade
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of busy are assiduous, diligent, industrious, and sedulous. While all these words mean "actively engaged or occupied," busy chiefly stresses activity as opposed to idleness or leisure.
too busy to spend time with the children
While in some cases nearly identical to busy, assiduous stresses careful and unremitting application.
assiduous practice
The words diligent and busy can be used in similar contexts, but diligent suggests earnest application to some specific object or pursuit.
very diligent in her pursuit of a degree
The synonyms industrious and busy are sometimes interchangeable, but industrious implies characteristic or habitual devotion to work.
industrious employees
The words sedulous and busy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sedulous implies painstaking and persevering application.
a sedulous investigation of the murder