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⇱ BUSY Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

Dictionary Definition
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busier; busiest
1
a
: engaged in action : occupied
She's busy studying.
has enough work to keep him busy for a while
b
: being in use
found the phone busy
2
: full of activity : bustling
a busy seaport
3
: foolishly or intrusively active : meddling
… a busy, fussy sort of man much concerned with regulating everything β€¦β€”πŸ‘ Image
A. M. Young
4
: full of distracting detail
a busy design

busy

2 of 2

verb

busied; busying

transitive verb

: to make engaged in action : to make busy (see busy entry 1 sense 1a) : occupy
busied herself about the room

intransitive verb

: bustle
Small boats busied to and fro β€¦β€”πŸ‘ Image
Quentin Crewe

Synonyms of busy

Choose the Right Synonym for busy

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 busy in a Sentence

Adjective She's busy preparing for her test. Are you busy? Can I talk to you for a minute? I will be busy cleaning the house. I'm sorry I haven't called. I've been so busy. busy people who don't have time to cook I got enough work to keep me busy for a while. He is a very busy person. He's been busy in the kitchen all afternoon. My week has been so busy! Is there any time in your busy schedule for us to have lunch next week? Verb the video game busied the child for hours
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Preparing nutritious food ahead of time can save both time and money for busy families. β€”πŸ‘ Image
Dr. Sarah Kinsella, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026 Each carried one passenger in the back seat, all of them busy on their phones. β€”πŸ‘ Image
Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
Another busied himself writing and rewriting the mundane information on his slate. β€”πŸ‘ Image
Taran Khan, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026 Emma shook her head and busied herself with picking up her waders. β€”πŸ‘ Image
Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for busy

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Verb

Middle English bisy, from Old English bisig; akin to Middle Dutch & Middle Low German besich busy

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of busy was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing busy

Rhymes for busy

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

β€œBusy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/busy. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

busier; busiest
1
a
: involved in action : actively at work
too busy to eat
b
: being in use
the phone line is busy
2
: full of activity
a busy street

busy

2 of 2 verb
busied; busying
: to make or keep busy

More from Merriam-Webster on busy

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