busy
A1Neutral, used in all registers from informal to formal.
Definition
Meaning
Having a lot of work or activities to do; occupied.
Describing a place full of activity, or a telephone line/device in use.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily an adjective describing a state or situation; as a verb, it means to occupy oneself with. Can describe people, periods of time, places, or objects (e.g., a busy signal).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The phrase 'busy with' is more common in UK English. US English commonly uses 'busy signal' for an engaged telephone tone; UK English uses 'engaged tone' or 'the line is engaged'. The verb 'to busy oneself' is slightly more formal/old-fashioned in both.
Connotations
Similar in both. Positive when implying productivity; can be negative when implying stress or lack of time for personal matters.
Frequency
Equally high-frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be busybe busy with somethingbe busy doing somethingbusy oneself with somethingget busy with somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a busy bee”
- “busy as a bee”
- “the busiest brain is the deadliest to its owner (proverb)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"We're in a busy quarter, so all hands on deck." Used to describe high workload or active trading periods.
Academic
"The researcher is busy compiling data for the longitudinal study." Describes active involvement in research.
Everyday
"Sorry I didn't call, I've been busy with the kids." Describes general lack of free time.
Technical
In telephony/IT: "The server is busy processing requests." In computing: 'busy-wait' loop.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She busied herself tidying the flat before the guests arrived.
- He busied his hands with the knitting to avoid fidgeting.
American English
- She busied herself cleaning the apartment before the guests arrived.
- He busied his hands with the tools to keep from getting nervous.
adverb
British English
- Rarely used. 'The phone rang busily' would be unusual; 'incessantly' is better.
- Old-fashioned/archaic: 'They worked busy all morning.'
American English
- Rarely used. 'The printer hummed busily' is possible but literary.
- Generally not used in modern standard English.
adjective
British English
- It's a busy high street with lots of shops.
- I'm too busy to meet for lunch this week.
American English
- It's a busy main street with lots of stores.
- I'm too busy to meet for lunch this week.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My mother is busy in the kitchen.
- The shops are very busy on Saturday.
- I can't talk now, I'm busy.
- She's busy preparing for her exams next month.
- We've had a busy week at the office with the new project.
- Sorry, the line is busy. Can you call back later?
- Despite his busy schedule, he always makes time for his family.
- The city centre was a bustling, busy maze of tourists and commuters.
- He busied himself with minor repairs to avoid the difficult conversation.
- The arbitrator has been busy mediating between the disputing factions.
- The artist's canvases are characterised by a busy, almost chaotic, composition.
- Politicians are often busy courting public opinion ahead of an election.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BUS full of people - it's BUS-Y!
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A RESOURCE (to be filled/used/spent). ACTIVITY IS MOTION/FILLING.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'busy' as 'business' ('бизнес').
- Do not use 'busy' to mean 'nervous' or 'worried' (занят vs. обеспокоен).
- The phrase 'I am busy' can sound more abrupt in English than 'У меня много дел' might in Russian.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I am busy *by* my work.' Correct: 'I am busy *with* my work.'
- Incorrect use of adverb: 'He works very busy.' Correct: 'He is very busy.' or 'He works busily.' (though 'busily' is less common).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a common collocation with 'busy'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Busy' is more general and common, focusing on having many tasks. 'Occupied' is more formal and often implies a specific task or that a space/time is taken (e.g., 'This seat is occupied').
Yes. While it often denotes productivity, it can imply being overwhelmed, stressed, or unavailable for personal relationships (e.g., 'He's always too busy for his friends').
Yes, 'at the moment' is perfectly correct and common. 'Right now' or simply 'I'm busy' are also fine.
It's a reflexive verb: 'busy oneself with/by doing something'. It is slightly formal/literary (e.g., 'She busied herself with paperwork').
Collections
Part of a collection
Daily Routine
A1 · 50 words · Words for describing your everyday activities and schedule.