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
Oftentimes, those mountains of busywork sacrifice efficiency and rarely wind up in the final product or the big screen.
—
Caitlin White, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
Beyond potential political resistance, implementing the name changes saddles campus administrators with costly and time-consuming busywork, including updating legal documents, maps and physical signage.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
Copying or scanning multipage documents is simpler, thanks to the automatic document feeder, which cuts down on busywork.
—PC Magazine, 18 Nov. 2025
The team wanted to spend less time on busywork and more time connecting directly with customers.
—Dennis Woodside, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for busywork
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Caitlin White, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
Beyond potential political resistance, implementing the name changes saddles campus administrators with costly and time-consuming busywork, including updating legal documents, maps and physical signage.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
Copying or scanning multipage documents is simpler, thanks to the automatic document feeder, which cuts down on busywork.
—PC Magazine, 18 Nov. 2025
The team wanted to spend less time on busywork and more time connecting directly with customers.
—Dennis Woodside, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for busywork
Cite this Entry
“Busywork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/busywork. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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