busy
BIHZ-ee
Busy (adjective) means having a lot to do; occupied with work or activity. Example: “I can't talk now, I'm busy with a deadline.”
adjective
1
Having a lot to do; occupied with work or activity.
"I can't talk now, I'm busy with a deadline."
"She stayed busy volunteering at the shelter every weekend."
"The doctor is busy at the moment, so please take a seat."
2
Full of activity or traffic; crowded.
"The high street gets busy on Saturday afternoons."
"The station is always busy at rush hour."
"We avoided the busy market and chose a quiet cafe instead."
verb
1
To keep someone occupied with a task.
"She busied herself tidying the kitchen while she waited for the call."
"He busied himself in the garden to stop worrying about the test."
"The children busied themselves building a den out of old blankets."
How to use busy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHaving lots to do, or (of a place) full of activity.
Common mistake
In American English, "the line is busy" means engaged/occupied (a phone line); British English more often says "engaged."
UK vs US
US: "the line is busy." UK: "the line is engaged."
Common pairings
busy schedule
busy street
busy yourself with
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like busy.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- busies
- Third person singular
- busies
- Past tense
- busied
- Comparative
- busier
- Superlative
- busiest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
I can't talk now, I'm _____ with a deadline.
Etymology
From Old English bisig ("occupied, diligent"). The unusual spelling with "u" comes from Midland and Southern English dialects, even though the modern pronunciation follows the Eastern dialects' vowel sound.
Synonyms
View more →
occupied
engaged
tied up
overloaded
on the go
hard at work
meddling
interfering
fussy
meddlesome
busybodied
occupy
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for busy
See all rhymes for busy →Frequently asked questions
What does “busy” mean?
The word “busy” means having a lot to do; occupied with work or activity. In plain terms, having lots to do, or (of a place) full of activity.
How do you pronounce “busy”?
“Busy” is pronounced BIHZ-ee (/ˈbɪz.i/ in IPA).
How do you use “busy” in a sentence?
Here is “busy” used in a sentence: “I can't talk now, I'm busy with a deadline.”
What is another word for “busy”?
Words with a similar meaning to “busy” include swamped.
What part of speech is “busy”?
Depending on how it is used, “busy” can be an adjective and a verb.
Where does the word “busy” come from?
The word “busy” comes from Old English. From Old English bisig ("occupied, diligent"). The unusual spelling with "u" comes from Midland and Southern English dialects, even though the modern pronunciation follows the Eastern dialects' vowel sound.
Is “busy” a common word?
“Busy” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “busy” have?
“Busy” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having a lot to do; occupied with work or activity.
What is the difference between busy and productive?
Busy means having a lot to do and being constantly occupied. Productive means actually getting valuable results from that activity. You can be busy without being productive — rushing between tasks all day yet achieving little — which is why the two words are worth keeping apart.
Is busy a positive or negative word?
Busy is neutral and depends on context. It can be positive, suggesting a thriving business or an engaged, active life, or negative, implying someone is overwhelmed, stressed, or too unavailable to help. The same word can flatter or complain depending on how and where it is used.
What is the opposite of busy?
The opposite of busy is free, idle, or available — having little or nothing that needs doing. A busy schedule is packed; a free one has open time. Other contrasts include unoccupied, at leisure, and quiet, as when a normally hectic shop has a slow afternoon.
What is an example of busy used in a sentence?
You might say, 'She's too busy to take a lunch break,' or 'The shop is always busy on Saturdays.' The word describes a person full of tasks or a place full of activity, both signalling that there is a great deal going on.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include busy:
