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busy

/ˈbɪz.i/verb, adjective2 syllables

Busy means: actively or fully engaged or occupied.

Synonyms for busy23

verb, as in keep busy with

adjective, as in actively or fully engaged or occupied

at work, drudging, laboring, labouring, toiling, engaged, occupied, overbusy, tied up, up to, diligent, employed

adjective, as in intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner

interfering, meddlesome, meddling, officious, busybodied, intrusive

adjective, as in (of facilities such as telephones or lavatories) unavailable for use by anyone else or indicating unavailability; (‘engaged’ is a British term for a busy telephone line)

engaged, in use, occupied

adjective, as in overcrowded or cluttered with detail

fussy, fancy

adjective, as in crowded with or characterized by much activity

Opposites of busy

What does busy mean?6

adjective

1

actively or fully engaged or occupied“busy with her work”

2

intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner“an interfering old woman”

3

(of facilities such as telephones or lavatories) unavailable for use by anyone else or indicating unavailability; (‘engaged’ is a British term for a busy telephone line)“her line is busy”

4

overcrowded or cluttered with detail“a busy painting”

5

crowded with or characterized by much activity“a very busy week”

verb

1

keep busy with“She busies herself with her butterfly collection”

Definitions from the Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

What rhymes with busy?1

two syllables

Show 40 near rhymes

Busy in a sentence

  • We walked along the busy street, singing old songs.CM
  • I called him, but the line was busy.CH
  • The other day, something horrible happened in the busy square.orcrist
  • I tried to call him up, but the line was busy.CK
  • He was busy, and yet he came to help us.unknown
  • However busy you may be, you must do your homework.Dejo
  • He declined my request, saying that he was busy.CK
  • Though very busy, she came to see me off.orcrist

Sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR, credited to their authors.

Forms of busy

as a verb

past tense
busied
present participle
busying
third-person singular
busies
past participle
busied

as a adjective

comparative
busier
superlative
busiest