Definition of 'busy'

Word Frequency

busy

(bɪzi )

Word forms: comparative busier , superlative busiest , 3rd person singular present tense busies , present participle busying , past tense, past participle busied

1. adjective [oft ADJ v-ing]

When you are busy, you are working hard or concentrating on a task, so that you are not free to do anything else.

What is it? I'm busy.

They are busy preparing for a hectic day's activity on Saturday.

Rachel said she would be too busy to come.

Phil Martin is an exceptionally busy man.

2. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]

A busy time is a period of time during which you have a lot of things to do.

It'll have to wait. This is our busiest time.

Even with her busy schedule she finds time to watch TV.

I had a busy day and was rather tired.

Synonyms: hectic, full, active, tiring More Synonyms of busy

3. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE, oft ADJ -ing]

If you say that someone is busy thinking or worrying about something, you mean that it is taking all their attention, often to such an extent that they are unable to think about anything else.

I'm so busy worrying about all the wrong things that I'm not focusing on the right ones.

Most people are too busy with their own troubles to give much help. [+ with]

4. verb

If you busy yourself with something, you occupy yourself by dealing with it.

He busied himself with the camera. [VERB pronoun-reflexive + with]

She busied herself getting towels ready. [V pron-refl v-ing]

For a while Kathryn busied herself in the kitchen. [VERB pronoun-reflexive]

5. adjective

A busy place is full of people who are doing things or moving about.

The Strand is one of London's busiest and most affluent streets.

The ward was busy and Amy hardly had time to talk.

Synonyms: crowded, full, packed, crushed More Synonyms of busy

6. adjective [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE]

When a telephone line is busy, you cannot make your call because the line is already being used by someone else.

[mainly US]

I tried to reach him, but the line was busy.

7. See also busily

More Synonyms of busy

Video: pronunciation of 'busy'

Word Frequency

busy in British

(ˈbɪzɪ )

adjectiveWord forms: busier or busiest

actively or fully engaged; occupied

crowded with or characterized by activity

a busy day

3. mainly US and Canadian

(of a room, telephone line, etc) in use; engaged

overcrowded with detail

a busy painting

meddlesome; inquisitive; prying

verbWord forms: busies, busying or busied

6. (transitive)

to make or keep (someone, esp oneself) busy; occupy

Derived forms

busyness (ˈbusyness)

noun

Word origin of 'busy'

Old English bisig; related to Middle Dutch besich, perhaps to Latin festīnāre to hurry

Word Frequency

busy in American

(ˈbɪzi ; bizˈē)

adjectiveWord forms: ˈbusier or ˈbusiest

occupied in some activity; at work; not idle

full of activity; characterized by much action or motion

in use at the moment, as a telephone line

indicating such use

the busy signal

meddlesome

having so much detail, variety of color, etc. as to create a confusing, displeasing effect

verb transitiveWord forms: ˈbusied or ˈbusying

to make or keep busy

often used reflexively

SYNONYMY NOTE: busy suggests active employment in some task or activity, either temporarily or habitually [I'm busy just now]; industrious suggests habitual devotion to one's work or activity [an industrious salesclerk]; diligent implies unremitting attention, usually to a particular task, and connotes enjoyment in the task itself [a diligent student of music]; assiduous suggests painstaking, persevering preoccupation with some task [assiduous study]; sedulous implies unremitting devotion to a task until the goal is reached [a sedulous investigation of the crime]

OPPOSITES: idle, lazy

Derived forms

busyness (ˈbusyness)

noun

Word origin of 'busy'

ME busi < OE bisig, occupied, diligent; akin to Du bezig: seen only in LowG & E

Example sentences containing 'busy'

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

The fact the exercise is a short burst really fit into my busy life. The Sun (2016)But they split three months ago due to their busy schedules. The Sun (2016)The man himself will have no trouble keeping busy. Times, Sunday Times (2016)This is intended to speed up sales processing and provide better service online regardless of demand peaks during busy trading periods. Computing (2010)He was looked after impeccably, he was always busy and his hair was always brushed. Times, Sunday Times (2016)You could see he was good, but people were busy thinking of what they had lost. Times, Sunday Times (2016)Rooms for three to 12 hours are available during less busy times. The Sun (2016)Some lines are busy express routes, others are branch lines that have barely any traffic. Times, Sunday Times (2016)It's a perfect place to lay your head after a busy day playing. The Sun (2016)Armed police line both sides of the busy street that leads to the Interlagos track - but teams are taking no chances. The Sun (2016)She has a busy life and we provide her with solutions for that life. Times, Sunday Times (2015)The married father of three says he finds time in his busy schedule to play village cricket. Times, Sunday Times (2012)The temporary exhibitions are always busiest and usually cost. Times, Sunday Times (2015)He is always busy looking to make you progress. The Sun (2007)You know there are busy times ahead so you need to be mentally and physically prepared. The Sun (2015)But spring is an exceptionally busy time in the garden. Times, Sunday Times (2016)When are the busy and slack periods for the potential trainees? Torrington, Derek Personnel Management: A New Approach (1991)What else will be keeping you busy over the summer months? The Sun (2011)Do we need any of that in a busy world with crowded court calendars? Goshgarian, Gary Exploring language (6th edn) (1995)The idea was to help busy people to build exercise into the working day. Times, Sunday Times (2008)Who has the space in their busy kitchens for special recycling units? The Sun (2007) Life may be busy but it is clear she knows how to stay ahead of the game. The Sun (2014)Take some time out of your busy schedule to work out what you really want from life. The Sun (2015)It was to be one of the busiest days in the store for a long time to come. Edward Beauclerk Maurice THE LAST OF THE GENTLEMEN ADVENTURERS: Coming of Age in the Arctic (2004)We had become too important and too busy to come back for three months and work out new inventions. Dyson, Freeman Infinite in All Directions (1989)The previous shop was always deserted - the new shop is always busy. Times, Sunday Times (2006)Cyber Monday was expected to be the busiest online shopping day on record. Times, Sunday Times (2013)The programme will probably keep radio phone-in lines busy today on the rights and wrongs of wrinkly parents. Times, Sunday Times (2010)Yesterday's boom in activity followed the busiest week on record for M&A last week. Times, Sunday Times (2007)