as in interesting
to hold the attention of
the video game busied the child for hours
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Recent Examples of busying
The song vamps where Railings used to weave and wind, its ever-busying rhythm section building tension atop its harmonic simplicity.
—
Craig Heed, Pitchfork, 29 Jan. 2026
Had Steve Smith been fit and available to play, then the 31-year-old would have been patrolling another part of the field; maybe busying himself in the covers, or chirping away from under a lid at short leg.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 21 Dec. 2025
Much like her idol Marlene Dietrich, Novak walked away from the business under her own steam, and has largely kept to herself, marrying an equine veterinarian and busying herself raising horses and painting.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2025
Craig Heed, Pitchfork, 29 Jan. 2026
Had Steve Smith been fit and available to play, then the 31-year-old would have been patrolling another part of the field; maybe busying himself in the covers, or chirping away from under a lid at short leg.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 21 Dec. 2025
Much like her idol Marlene Dietrich, Novak walked away from the business under her own steam, and has largely kept to herself, marrying an equine veterinarian and busying herself raising horses and painting.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for busying
Verb
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If bits are mere mortals, occupying space and time, qubits possess omnipresence and telepathy.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
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If bits are mere mortals, occupying space and time, qubits possess omnipresence and telepathy.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
18 May 2026
Verb
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As in previous seasons, the production is expected to fully or partially buy out its hotel locations while immersing itself deeply in the surrounding destination.—
Melinda Sheckells,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
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West is great at immersing us in the atmosphere and mores of the 1800s, in which Elswyth can’t find the time to use her skills in botany (she’s been accepted at Oxford) because her real job is finding someone to support her and her family.—
Chris Hewitt,
Boston Herald,
15 May 2026
Verb
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And while the company presented more data on that drug Tuesday, showing promising first-line and combination data on daraxonrasib, scientists also showed in another session intriguing preclinical data on a completely new compound that may represent what comes after the current lineup.—
Angus Chen,
STAT,
21 Apr. 2026
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There’s familiarity there, but there’s also intriguing talent with Thompson.—
SportsDay Staff,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Work sits in the backlog because no single team has the authority to finish it without involving three others.—
Steve Taplin,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
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Last week, Latvia’s government collapsed following an argument over the handling of multiple incidents involving stray drones suspected to be from Ukraine.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 May 2026
Verb
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Wilentz, author of the 2010 book Dylan in America, wrote Volume 18‘s detailed, often fascinating 125-page liner notes that provides historical context for the expansive eight-CD set.—
Glenn Peoples,
Billboard,
7 Nov. 2025
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Once on the ground visitors can enjoy Greenland’s rugged coastal landscapes, fascinating indigenous Inuit culture, and the opportunity to experience the country at its primordial best.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Busying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/busying. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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