Word forms: comparative busier, superlative busiest, 3rd person singular presenttense 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 rightones.
Most people are too busy with their own troubles to give much help. [+ with]
4. verb
If you busyyourself 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
busy in British English
(ˈbɪzɪ)
adjectiveWord forms: busier or busiest
1.
actively or fully engaged; occupied
2.
crowded with or characterized by activity
a busy day
3. mainly US and Canadian
(of a room, telephone line, etc) in use; engaged
4.
overcrowded with detail
a busy painting
5.
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
Old English bisig; related to Middle Dutch besich, perhaps to Latin festīnāre to hurry
busy in American English
(ˈbɪzi)
adjectiveWord forms: ˈbusier or ˈbusiest
1.
occupied in some activity; at work; not idle
2.
full of activity; characterized by much action or motion
3.
a.
in use at the moment, as a telephone line
b.
indicating such use
the busy signal
4.
meddlesome
5.
having so much detail, variety of color, etc. as to create a confusing, displeasing effect
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈbusied or ˈbusying
6.
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 enjoymentin 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
ME busi < OE bisig, occupied, diligent; akin to Du bezig: seen only in LowG & E
More idioms containing
busy
a busy bee
Examples of 'busy' in a sentence
busy
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)
In other languages
busy
British English: busy /ˈbɪzɪ/ ADJECTIVE
person If you are busy, you have a lot of things to do.
We were busy cleaning the house.
American English: busy
Arabic: مَشْغول
Brazilian Portuguese: ocupado
Chinese: 忙碌的
Croatian: zaposlen
Czech: zaneprázdněný
Danish: travl
Dutch: druk actief
European Spanish: ocupado
Finnish: kiireinen
French: occupé
German: beschäftigt
Greek: απασχολημένος
Italian: occupato
Japanese: 忙しい
Korean: 바쁜
Norwegian: opptatt
Polish: zajęty
European Portuguese: ocupado
Romanian: ocupat
Russian: занятой
Latin American Spanish: ocupado
Swedish: upptagen
Thai: ยุ่งวุ่นวาย
Turkish: meşgul
Ukrainian: зайнятий
Vietnamese: bận rộn
British English: busy /ˈbɪzɪ/ ADJECTIVE
place A busy place is full of people.
The shops are busy today.
American English: busy
Arabic: مُزْدَحِم
Brazilian Portuguese: lotado
Chinese: 熙攘的
Croatian: prepun
Czech: rušný
Danish: travl
Dutch: druk
European Spanish: lleno
Finnish: tungokseen asti täysi
French: comble
German: betriebsam
Greek: γεμάτος
Italian: pieno
Japanese: 混雑した
Korean: 붐비는
Norwegian: travel
Polish: zatłoczony
European Portuguese: cheio
Romanian: aglomerat
Russian: многолюдный
Latin American Spanish: concurrido
Swedish: full
Thai: จอแจ พลุกพล่าน
Turkish: kalabalık
Ukrainian: заповнений
Vietnamese: đông
British English: busy VERB
If you busy yourself with something, you occupy yourself by dealing with it.
He busied himself with the camera.
American English: busy
Brazilian Portuguese: ocupar-se
Chinese: 使忙于
European Spanish: entretenerse (con algo)
French: s'occuper
German: sich beschäftigen
Italian: occupare
Japanese: 忙しくする
Korean: ~하느라 바쁘다
European Portuguese: ocupar-se
Latin American Spanish: entretenerse(con algo)
All related terms of 'busy'
busy bee
a person who is industrious or has many things to do
over-busy
too busy
busy Lizzie
a balsaminaceous plant, Impatiens balsamina , that has pink , red, or white flowers and is often grown as a pot plant
busy signal
a repeated single note heard on a telephone when the number called is already in use
a busy bee
if someone is a busy bee or busy as a bee, they enjoy doing a lot of things and always keep themselves busy
busy lifestyle
The lifestyle of a particular person or group of people is the living conditions, behaviour, and habits that are typical of them or are chosen by them.
busywork
unproductive work
balsam
Balsam is a sweet-smelling oil that is obtained from certain trees or bushes and used to make medicines and perfumes.
engaged tone
a repeated single note heard on a telephone when the number called is already in use
Chinese translation of 'busy'
busy
(ˈbɪzɪ)
adj
[person]忙的 (máng de)
[shop, street]繁忙的 (fánmáng de)
[schedule, time, day]忙碌(碌)的 (mánglù de)
(esp US, Tel)[line]占(佔)线(線)的 (zhànxiàn de)
英 = engaged
vt
to busy oneself (with sth)忙于(於)做(某事) (mángyú zuò (mǒushì))
he's a very busy man他是个(個)大忙人 (tā shì gè dà máng rén)
I'm busy我正忙着(著)呢 (wǒ zhèng mángzhe ne)
All related terms of 'busy'
I'm busy
我正忙着(著)呢 wǒ zhèng mángzhe ne
busy signal
忙音 mángyīn [ 英 = engaged tone ]
he's a very busy man
他是个(個)大忙人 tā shì gè dà máng rén
to lead a busy/active life
过(過)着(著)繁忙/活跃(躍)的生活 guòzhe fánmáng/huóyuè de shēnghuó
I'd love to come, but I'm busy
我想来(來)，但是有事 wǒ xiǎng lái, dànshì yǒushì
to busy oneself (with sth)
忙于(於)做(某事) mángyú zuò (mǒushì)
1 (adjective)
Definition
actively or fully engaged
He's a very busy man.
Synonyms
active
efficient
brisk
Business had been brisk since July.
hard-pressed
tireless
diligent
a diligent student
industrious
She was an industrious and willing worker
hardworking
He was hardworking and energetic.
assiduous
an assiduous student
rushed off your feet
BY (textmessaging)
Opposites
relaxed
,
lazy
,
idle
,
inactive
,
indolent
,
lackadaisical
,
slothful
,
shiftless
2 (adjective)
Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.
Synonyms
occupied with
working
engaged in
on duty
Extra staff had been put on duty.
employed in
preoccupied with
absorbed in
immersed in
hard at work
engrossed in
in harness
The longing for work will return and you will be right back in harness.
on active service
hard at work on
BY (textmessaging)
Opposites
off duty
,
unoccupied
3 (adjective)
Definition
crowded with or characterized by activity
I'd had a busy day and was rather tired.
Synonyms
hectic
full
You will have a very full and interesting life.
active
Having an active youngster about the house can be quite wearing.
tiring
It had been a long and tiring day.
exacting
energetic
an energetic public-relations campaign
strenuous
Strenuous efforts have been made to improve conditions in the jail.
on the go (informal)
BY (textmessaging)
4 (adjective)
Definition
crowded with or characterized by activity
The ward was busy and Amy hardly had time to talk.
Synonyms
crowded
The street was crowded and noisy.
full
The centre is full beyond capacity.
packed
The streets were packed with people.
crushed
mobbed
cramped
There are hundreds of families living in cramped conditions.
bustling
The sidewalks are bustling with people.
swarming
overflowing
The great hall was overflowing with people.
thronged
teeming
The area is usually teeming with tourists.
congested
Some areas are congested with both cars and people.
populous
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa.
jam-packed
His room was jam-packed with fruit, flowers, gifts etc.