as in interested
to hold the attention of
the video game busied the child for hours
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Recent Examples of busied
While their fellow Plums busied themselves with bridal parties and wedding cakes, these girls had political awakenings.
—
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 27 May 2026
Appropriately, 19 miles east of their first major trophy lift since the 2021/22 League Cup, City men busied themselves by lifting the FA Cup over Chelsea in what was Pep Guardiola’s 24th visit to Wembley Stadium and his 20th major trophies as City manager.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 17 May 2026
Another busied himself writing and rewriting the mundane information on his slate.
—Taran Khan, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
Emma shook her head and busied herself with picking up her waders.
—Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
The department has also busied itself in Minneapolis with prosecuting residents opposed to what federal officials are doing in their city and immigrants trying to flee their pursuers, a tactic seen in other cities targeted for immigration enforcement.
—Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
For the first 12 minutes, the Celtics busied themselves by snapping up free points.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
Eventually, though, after the Falcons recovered an onside kick successfully and knelt the rest of the way en route to a 19-17 victory, the family busied themselves jumping up and down, screaming for joy.
—Diamond Vences, Charlotte Observer, 5 Jan. 2026
So, after the sombrero drew hearty guffaws, my friend Jim busied himself finding monuments to chip-and-dip tastelessness.
—Lee Michael Katz, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 27 May 2026
Appropriately, 19 miles east of their first major trophy lift since the 2021/22 League Cup, City men busied themselves by lifting the FA Cup over Chelsea in what was Pep Guardiola’s 24th visit to Wembley Stadium and his 20th major trophies as City manager.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 17 May 2026
Another busied himself writing and rewriting the mundane information on his slate.
—Taran Khan, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
Emma shook her head and busied herself with picking up her waders.
—Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
The department has also busied itself in Minneapolis with prosecuting residents opposed to what federal officials are doing in their city and immigrants trying to flee their pursuers, a tactic seen in other cities targeted for immigration enforcement.
—Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
For the first 12 minutes, the Celtics busied themselves by snapping up free points.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
Eventually, though, after the Falcons recovered an onside kick successfully and knelt the rest of the way en route to a 19-17 victory, the family busied themselves jumping up and down, screaming for joy.
—Diamond Vences, Charlotte Observer, 5 Jan. 2026
So, after the sombrero drew hearty guffaws, my friend Jim busied himself finding monuments to chip-and-dip tastelessness.
—Lee Michael Katz, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for busied
Verb
-
To my surprise, that interested him—most men wouldn’t have wanted to hear about it.—
Joyce Johnson,
New Yorker,
23 May 2026
-
Around the same time, Barwick and his then-student, Peter Haine, independently came up with a slightly different definition in order to answer a particular question in category theory that interested them.—
Konstantin Kakaes,
Quanta Magazine,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
There are plenty of activities to keep them occupied, too, from cooking classes and Muay Thai kickboxing classes to snorkeling and spa sessions.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
-
The vehicle was occupied by a front seat crash test dummy that was intended to represent an average-sized adult male and a back seat dummy that was intended to represent a small adult or a 12-year-old child.—
Keith Laing,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
At Miraval Berkshires, guests are immersed in an intimate, nature-rich setting that invites connection, whether that means getting to know others, engaging with our expert specialists, exploring team challenges, or participating in ceremonies grounded in traditional wisdom.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
3 June 2026
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Astronauts on the International Space Station are usually immersed in groundbreaking science experiments or witnessing breathtaking cosmic sights – not showcasing their skills in the culinary arts.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
And then the story of Maciel came around, and his story intrigued me tremendously.—
Helen Acevedo,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
-
Although the article’s author branded Müller’s machine an obvious hoax, Feaster was intrigued.—
Ron Cowen,
Scientific American,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
The abuse, which police said involved a 14-year-old, happened between July and November 2024.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
30 May 2026
-
Authorities said earlier that Baker was responsible for or involved in the deaths of three men — Robert Shine and John Carse, both 69, and a 79-year-old man who has not been identified.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
But he’s always been fascinated by this heroine’s story.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
30 May 2026
-
The combined disgust, discomfort, ignorance, and fascination with our Indigeneity that unsettled my aunties and fascinated my cousins made more sense to me.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Busied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/busied. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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