as in interested
to hold the attention of
the video game busied the child for hours
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Recent Examples of busied
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
After that, Cornell busied himself with his solo career and other endeavors before committing suicide in 2017.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Russia has for years busied itself with reopening its Soviet-era military bases in the Arctic, and with constructing new facilities across the region.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
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
After that, Cornell busied himself with his solo career and other endeavors before committing suicide in 2017.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Russia has for years busied itself with reopening its Soviet-era military bases in the Arctic, and with constructing new facilities across the region.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for busied
Verb
-
What interested him most about returning to the role was playing those contradictions at once.—
Anushka Halve,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Jan. 2026
-
What interested me in photographing Chalmers wasn’t capturing the disembodied ideas.—
Dan Turello,
New Yorker,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And yet, is such a reclamation even possible after one has been annexed or occupied?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The company appears to be eyeing up the market currently occupied by Sonos and has its own ecosystem with a range of wireless speakers and streamers offering the same kind of convenience as Sonos but at more competitive prices.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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So the pair dropped the idea and became fully immersed in creating the Key Biscayne Film Festival.—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Being immersed in generations-old craft, watching people who are supported, protected, and valued for their labor, gave me clarity.—
Anne McDonald,
Architectural Digest,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Russell notes that he was particularly intrigued by his role.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Judy was intrigued, both by the suitcase and the man who gave it to her.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
His June assault on Iran’s nuclear facilities had two carrier groups in the region, more there as a counter-weight to any Iranian reprisals than to be directly involved in the attack.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
-
For Chappell, Spygate was involved in his decision.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In his youth, Mendonça was fascinated by the city’s grand cinema palaces.—
Stephania Taladrid,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
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The avant-garde, too, was fascinated by the idea of provoking psychological responses in spectators through art.—
Michael Cowan,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Busied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/busied. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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