busywork
noun
busy·work
ˈbi-zē-ˌwərk 
: work that usually appears productive or of intrinsic value but actually only keeps one occupied
Examples of busywork in a Sentence
Students were given busywork for the last few minutes of class.
Recent Examples on the Web
But now scientists have discovered a new type of fat cell in the body that does the same thing, burning energy and producing heat with pointless busywork.
—
Michael Irving, New Atlas, 15 Aug. 2024
Slack is here to help growing businesses like Ari Bikes grow without the busywork.
—The Team At Slack, Quartz, 9 Aug. 2024
That might be fine for busywork situations where the quality of the output isn't paramount.
—Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 30 July 2024
Although enthusiasts eagerly use the technology to boost productivity and automate busywork, the drawbacks are also impossible to ignore.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 24 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for busywork 
Michael Irving, New Atlas, 15 Aug. 2024
Slack is here to help growing businesses like Ari Bikes grow without the busywork.
—The Team At Slack, Quartz, 9 Aug. 2024
That might be fine for busywork situations where the quality of the output isn't paramount.
—Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 30 July 2024
Although enthusiasts eagerly use the technology to boost productivity and automate busywork, the drawbacks are also impossible to ignore.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 24 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for busywork
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'busywork.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Busywork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/busywork. Accessed 11 Sep. 2024.
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