busy

1 of 2

adjective

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

4

: full of distracting detail

a busy design

busily

ˈbi-zə-lē 

adverb

busy

2 of 2

verb

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

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

Choose the Right Synonym for busy

busy, industrious, diligent, assiduous, sedulous mean actively engaged or occupied.

busy chiefly stresses activity as opposed to idleness or leisure.

too busy to spend time with the children

industrious implies characteristic or habitual devotion to work.

industrious employees

diligent suggests earnest application to some specific object or pursuit.

very diligent in her pursuit of a degree

assiduous stresses careful and unremitting application.

assiduous practice

sedulous implies painstaking and persevering application.

a sedulous investigation of the murder

Examples of busy in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

In the summer, people here are too busy enjoying themselves—drinking on patios, reading languorous books, stretching weekends in Crystal Beach or Sherkston out over three, four, five days—to do much of any importance. —Aidan Ryan june 4, Literary Hub, 4 June 2025

But given her busy schedule, Burke said, it’s been a hard date to nail down. —Bailey Richards, People.com, 4 June 2025

Verb

Liz busied herself in another room while Miller and the Warrens worked with Cooper. —Tom Roland, Billboard, 23 May 2025

Aha! This spring, as Musk has busied himself dismantling parts of the United States government, signs of discontent with the world’s richest man have stealthily appeared across London’s public-transport network. —Anna Russell, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2025

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

• as busy as a bee
• busy as a bee
• busy bee
• busy oneself
• get busy
• has a busy/hectic social life

Rhymes for busy

• fizzy
• frizzy
• lizzie

Kids Definition

busy

1 of 2 adjective

ˈbiz-ē 

busier; busiest

1

a

: involved in action : actively at work

too busy to eat

b

: being in use

the phone line is busy

2

: full of activity

a busy street

busily

ˈbiz-ə-lē 

adverb

busyness

ˈbiz-ē-nəs 

noun

busy

2 of 2 verb

busied; busying

: to make or keep busy