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
Haring seems to have genuinely liked the busywork of his days.
—
Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 22 Apr. 2026
If Skylar delivers, the biggest risk may be sticking with the status quo while rivals hand the busywork to a digital boss.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
Other Democratic groups have used AI tools to build campaign sites more quickly, replacing some hours of busywork.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 8 Apr. 2026
The tools are useful in automating busywork and drudgery.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for busywork
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Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 22 Apr. 2026
If Skylar delivers, the biggest risk may be sticking with the status quo while rivals hand the busywork to a digital boss.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
Other Democratic groups have used AI tools to build campaign sites more quickly, replacing some hours of busywork.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 8 Apr. 2026
The tools are useful in automating busywork and drudgery.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for busywork
Cite this Entry
“Busywork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/busywork. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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