Collocations for "busy"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "busy" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
busy
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.adj
- is a busy [woman, man]
- busy [operators, agents, workers]
- is busy [at the moment, right now]
- was busy [working, studying, cooking]
- busy with [work]
- busy [with, on] a new project
- will be busy all [morning]
- has a busy [life, schedule, time, day, morning]
- is the busiest time of (the) year
- is the busiest it has been in months
- the [city, street, mall, store] is busier than [usual, normal]
- a busy [line, phone, switchboard]
- the [line] is busy, please hold on
- a busy [room, painting, design]
- [really, incredibly, very] busy
- (that's enough chit-chat), let's get busy
- busy yourself with [work, school, life]
- busied herself [making, preparing, organizing]
- busied herself in [making]
- busied herself with [making]
- busied herself by [making]
- busied us along
- she busied about the [room, town, store]
'busy' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
May
- assume
- beaver
- bee
- bustling
- cafeteria
- calendar
- cope
- correction
- crazy
- criticize
- crossing
- crowded
- currently
- desk
- fax
- haven
- housework
- jolly
- lately
- lifestyle
- lucky
- march
- moment
- noon
- panel
- particularly
- phone
- plenty
- port
- prep
- presently
- restaurant
- road
- roundabout
- schedule
- shop
- shopping
- sidewalk
- staff
- station
- store
- street
- telephone
- thankful
- tone
- too
- way
- week
- wharf