industrious

adjective

in·​dus·​tri·​ous in-ˈdə-strē-əs 

1

: constantly, regularly, or habitually active or occupied : diligent

an industrious worker

2

obsolete : skillful, ingenious

industriously adverb

industriousness noun

Synonyms

• diligent
• engaged
• busy
• employed

Choose the Right Synonym for industrious

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 industrious in a Sentence

He is an industrious worker.

an industrious worker who never seems to sleep

Recent Examples on the Web

But first, and with no clear reason, a couple of alien creatures — blue blobs that mimic human speech — also pop their smiley faces into Billy’s industrious fund chasing. —Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 8 Aug. 2025

Get inspired by a small group of industrious, tenacious, and daring men and women who were born into slavery and broke new ground to attain the highest levels of financial success. —Essence, 7 Aug. 2025

On Wednesday, police identified the deceased as Nolan, an industrious entrepreneur. —Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 7 Aug. 2025

When thinking about the best names for a Virgo, opt for strong, classic picks that suit their helpful, industrious nature. —Kara Nesvig, Parents, 17 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for industrious

• illustrious

Kids Definition

industrious

adjective

in·​dus·​tri·​ous in-ˈdəs-trē-əs 

: constantly or regularly active or occupied

an industrious farmer

industriously adverb

industriousness noun