business

noun, often attributive

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busi·ness | \ ˈbiz-nəs

, -nəz, Southern also ˈbid-

Definition of business

1a : a usually commercial or mercantile activity engaged in as a means of livelihood : trade, line in the restaurant business

b : a commercial or sometimes an industrial enterprise also : such enterprises the business district

c : dealings or transactions especially of an economic nature : patronage took their business elsewhere

2a : role, function how the human mind went about its business of learning— H. A. Overstreet

b : an immediate task or objective : mission what is your business here

c : a particular field of endeavor the best in the business

3 : affair, matter the whole business got out of hand business as usual

4a : personal concern none of your business

b : right you have no business speaking to me that way

5a : serious activity requiring time and effort and usually the avoidance of distractions got down to business

b : maximum effort

6 : creation, concoction

7 : movement or action (such as lighting a cigarette) by an actor intended especially to establish atmosphere, reveal character, or explain a situation

— called also stage business

8a : a damaging assault

b : rebuke, tongue-lashing

c : double cross

9 : a bowel movement —used especially of pets

10 archaic : purposeful activity : busyness

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about business

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Synonyms for business

Synonyms

custom,
patronage

Choose the Right Synonym for business

business, commerce, trade, industry, traffic mean activity concerned with the supplying and distribution of commodities. business may be an inclusive term but specifically designates the activities of those engaged in the purchase or sale of commodities or in related financial transactions. commerce and trade imply the exchange and transportation of commodities. industry applies to the producing of commodities, especially by manufacturing or processing, usually on a large scale. traffic applies to the operation and functioning of public carriers of goods and persons.

synonyms see in addition work

Examples of business in a Sentence

Forever Odd is a direct sequel to 2003's Odd Thomas, the book in which we were introduced to the title character, a young man who can see the dead. They can't talk to him, but they can nudge him in the direction they want, which is usually to help them tidy up some unfinished business from when they were alive. — Charles De Lint, Fantasy & Science Fiction, May 2006 The Sun may never set, but air temperatures can plummet to -4 degrees Fahrenheit, and blinding snowstorms appear without warning. Sunbathing here can be risky business: even huddled in our parkas and boots, the members of our expedition live under the constant threat of frostbite and hypothermia. — Terrie M. Williams, Natural History, October 2003 Such high attrition means that most of the dot-coms here today will be gone tomorrow. The business environment is already harsh, and competition is growing. — Ann Thayer, Chemical & Engineering News, 5 June 2000 Lancaster and Columbia have plenty of history apart from the Civil War, of course. For example, Lancaster was home to F. W. Woolworth's first successful 5&10 and Milton S. Hershey's first successful candy business. — Lancaster New Era, 2 July 1996 The store has lost a significant amount of business since the factory closed. She works in the publishing business. David has decided to go into business with his brother. Their publishing company is the best in the business. I have to go to New York City on business next week. They advertised to increase business. He has the skills necessary to run a business. The town is trying to attract new businesses. Do we have any other business we need to discuss? No, I didn't ask him what he wanted the car for. That's his business.

Recent Examples on the Web Hence, its business model is very sensitive toward changes in investment yields. — Trefis Team, Forbes, "American International Group Stock Is Trading Just Above Its Fair Value," 26 Feb. 2021 In recent years, the company has also begun actually buying, fixing up and selling homes itself through a new division called Zillow Offers — a major shift in its business model. — Clare Duffy, CNN, "Zillow will now make cash offers for homes based on its 'Zestimates'," 25 Feb. 2021 Meanwhile, the core business model of the fossil fuel industry has to be scaled down dramatically. — Kate Aronoff, The New Republic, "The Case for a Permanent Stimulus," 25 Feb. 2021 Companies’ efforts to develop or expand a shareholder base can take at least 12 to 18 months as executives educate investors about the business model, said Jim Rossman, head of shareholder advisory at investment bank Lazard Ltd. — Mark Maurer, WSJ, "Herbalife CFO Looks to Change Investor Views After Years of Activist Pressure," 25 Feb. 2021 More recently, Driscoll said that a cornerstone of MTC Logistics’ business model is balancing imports and exports. — al, "Port traffic: Two new companies bringing 100 jobs to Mobile," 25 Feb. 2021 Founder Tiana Gawlak has been testing out the innovative business model of a free-standing dessert shop in a high-traffic location without an actual storefront. — Zareen Syed, chicagotribune.com, "Burr Ridge’s self-service dessert ATM — The Bakery Box — fits right into pandemic times, looks to expand to more locations," 24 Feb. 2021 The business model of SpaceX depends on reusing these boosters. — Asa Stahl, Chron, "You won't be able to see stars in the night sky, thanks to this SpaceX project," 23 Feb. 2021 Podcasting works on a very different business model than music streaming. — Robert Hackett, Fortune, "Spotify ups its podcast game," 23 Feb. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'business.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.