DictionaryAI

busy

BI-zee/ˈbɪzi/

Adjectivebusier, busiest

Verbbusies, busying, busied

7 meanings of busy

Practice

  1. 1
    lots of workadjective
    Having a lot of work or tasks to do.

    Like a bee that never stops moving from flower to flower.

    I was too busy to answer the phone today.

    She felt busy all week with chores and homework.

    UsageSay busy with work or busy doing homework.

    Similaroccupied, swamped, rushed, overworked

    Oppositeidle, free, unoccupied

  2. 2
    crowdedadjective
    Full of people, traffic, or activity.

    Like a beehive full of bees coming and going all day.

    The market was busy on Saturday morning.

    Downtown gets busy when the offices close.

    UsageSay a busy street or a busy day.

    Similarbustling, crowded, hectic, lively, packed

    Oppositequiet, empty, deserted

    Note
  3. 3
    not availableadjective
    Being used by someone, so not free at the moment.

    Like a chair that already has someone sitting in it.

    The line was busy when I called.

    I called the doctor's office twice, but the line was busy.

    UsageSay the line is busy.

    Similarengaged, occupied, taken, unavailable

    Oppositefree, available, vacant

    Note
  4. 4
    keep occupiedverbreflexivetransitive
    To give someone something to do so they stay active.

    Like giving a child a toy to keep their hands full.

    While she waited for the bus, she busied herself with her phone.

    I busy myself with chores when I feel worried.

    UsageSay she busied herself with cleaning.

    Similaroccupy, engage, employ

  5. 5
    too detailedadjective
    Having so many details or parts that it looks messy or hard to follow.

    Like a picture with so many things in it that your eyes don't know where to look.

    The wallpaper was too busy for the small room.

    His drawing looked busy, with shapes filling every corner.

    UsageSay a pattern is too busy.

    Similarcluttered, fussy, crowded, elaborate, overdone

    Oppositesimple, plain, clean, uncluttered

Less common meanings

  1. 6
    adjectivearchaic
    Too eager to get involved in other people's business.
    I will be hanged if some eternal villain, Some busy and insinuating rogue, Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office, Have not devised this slander; I'll be hanged else.
    c. 1603, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”
  2. 7
    nounslangUK
    An unkind slang name for a police officer.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of busy apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–3, 5

From Old English bisiġ, meaning "busy" or "hard-working". The spelling with "u" and the sound with /ɪ/ come from different English dialects.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

Meaning 4

From Old English bisgian, meaning "to occupy or employ".

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts