busy chiefly stresses activity as opposed to idleness or leisure.
too busy to spend time with the children
industrious implies characteristic or habitual devotion to work.
industrious employees
diligent suggests earnest application to some specific object or pursuit.
very diligent in her pursuit of a degree
assiduous stresses careful and unremitting application.
assiduous practice
sedulous implies painstaking and persevering application.
a sedulous investigation of the murder
Example Sentences
Adjective She's busy preparing for her test. Are you busy? Can I talk to you for a minute? I will be busy cleaning the house. I'm sorry I haven't called. I've been so busy. busy people who don't have time to cook I got enough work to keep me busy for a while. He is a very busy person. He's been busy in the kitchen all afternoon. My week has been so busy! Is there any time in your busy schedule for us to have lunch next week? Verb the video game busied the child for hours See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
If this fall’s busy exhibition schedule is anything to go by, the American museum ecosystem is well on the way to a full recovery after the trials of the pandemic. Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2022 Walking became my mode of exercising, and the busy streets of DC were my gym. Christa Sgobba, SELF, 7 Sep. 2022 President Vladimir Putin claimed to be too busy to attend. Jim Heintz And, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Sep. 2022 Meant to get this up yesterday, but was too busy celebrating. Diane J. Cho, Peoplemag, 22 Aug. 2022 But for now, the robot on Mars is too busy outliving its expected lifetime and continually collecting scientific data about the red planet to answer the question: Did this freezing, dry and airless planet ever support life? Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 25 July 2022 And because many musicians are too busy to vet a particular nonprofit that interests them, NFF takes on that vetting part, as part of their usual grantmaking process. Michael Klein, SPIN, 22 July 2022 And yet, Piccolo is constantly called upon by his former student Gohan (Kyle Hebert) to look after his daughter Pan (Jeannie Tirado), picking her up from school when her dad's too busy with scholarly research. Christian Holub, EW.com, 25 Aug. 2022 But Liquori was too busy trying to earn a spot at linebacker to reflect on the team’s previous success. Nate Weitzer, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Aug. 2022
Verb
Wedding planning isn't the only thing keeping the Olympic gold medalist busy these days. Jasmine Washington, Seventeen, 20 Apr. 2022 In the old days—the ’90s—the affluent but creatively stifled would busy themselves DJing behind a turntable. Marisa Meltzer, Town & Country, 31 Mar. 2022 The challenge of transferring patients from rural communities to outlying hospitals, and from those hospitals to busy Anchorage facilities, was a factor in the decision. Zaz Hollander, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Oct. 2021 One fear is that those who have the resources to help effect action on climate change will instead busy themselves with building their own escape pods. Anna Russel, The New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2021 One fear is that those who have the resources to help effect action on climate change will instead busy themselves with building their own escape pods. Anna Russel, The New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2021 The cabin is too secluded to wander off-property, so guests busy themselves with activities. Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2021 One fear is that those who have the resources to help effect action on climate change will instead busy themselves with building their own escape pods. Anna Russel, The New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2021 One fear is that those who have the resources to help effect action on climate change will instead busy themselves with building their own escape pods. Anna Russel, The New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2021 See More
Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Verb
Middle English bisy, from Old English bisig; akin to Middle Dutch & Middle Low German besich busy
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Time Traveler
The first known use of busy was before the 12th century