busy

UK: /ˈbɪzi/ US: /ˈbɪzi/ ,(biz′ē)

Inflections of 'busy' (adj):

busier

adj comparative

busiest

adj superlative

Inflections of 'busy' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

busies

v 3rd person singular

busying

v pres p

busied

v past

busied

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

bus•y /ˈbɪzi/   adj., bus•i•er, bus•i•est, v., bus•ied, bus•y•ing. 
adj. 

1. actively working on something:
   busy on a new project.
2. not at leisure:
   I'm afraid he'll be busy all day and can't see you.
3. full of work:
   You certainly lead a busy life.
4. Telecommunications (of a telephone line) in use:
   Your phone was busy all night.
5. cluttered with fussy details:
   a busy painting to distract visitors.

v. [~ + oneself (+ with + object)]

6. to make or keep busy:
   busied himself with the drinks.

bus•i•ly, adv.: 

busily at work on their test papers.

bus•y•ness, n. [uncountable]
Related Words

busy is an adjective and a verb, busily is an adverb:
He is too busy to see you now. They busied themselves preparing dinner. He went busily about the house, cleaning and tidying up.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bus•y  (biz′ē), adj., bus•i•er, bus•i•est, v., bus•ied, bus•y•ing. 
adj. 

1. actively and attentively engaged in work or a pastime:
   busy with her work.
2. not at leisure;
   otherwise engaged:
   He couldn't see any visitors because he was busy.
3. full of or characterized by activity:
   a busy life.
4. Telecommunications (of a telephone line) in use by a party or parties and not immediately accessible.
5. officious;
   meddlesome;
   prying.
6. ornate, disparate, or clashing in design or colors;
   cluttered with small, unharmonious details;
   fussy:
   The rug is too busy for this room.

v.t. 

7. to keep occupied;
   make or keep busy:
   In summer, he busied himself keeping the lawn in order.

• bef. 1000; Middle English busi, bisi, Old English bysig, bisig; cognate with Middle Low German, Middle Dutch besich, Dutch bezig

Synonyms

• 1. assiduous, hard-working.
  Busy, diligent, industrious imply active or earnest effort to accomplish something, or a habitual attitude of such earnestness.
  Busy means actively employed, temporarily or habitually:
  a busy official.
  Diligent suggests earnest and constant effort or application, and usually connotes fondness for, or enjoyment of, what one is doing:
  a diligent student.
  Industrious often implies a habitual characteristic of steady and zealous application, often with a definite goal:
  an industrious clerk working for promotion.
• 2. occupied, employed, working.

Antonyms

• 1. indolent.
• 2. unoccupied.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

busy / ˈbɪzɪ/ adjective (busier, busiest)

1. actively or fully engaged; occupied
2. crowded with or characterized by activity: a busy day
3. (of a room, telephone line, etc) in use; engaged
4. overcrowded with detail: a busy painting
5. meddlesome; inquisitive; prying

verb (busies, busying, busied)

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

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

ˈbusyness noun