BUSY Synonyms: 161 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'busy' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of busy are assiduous , diligent , industrious , and sedulous . While all these words mean "actively engaged or occupied," busy chiefly stresses activity as opposed to idleness or leisure. // too busy to spend time with the children

Q: When would 'assiduous' be a good substitute for 'busy'?

While in some cases nearly identical to busy , assiduous stresses careful and unremitting application. // assiduous practice

Q: In what contexts can 'diligent' take the place of 'busy'?

The words diligent and busy can be used in similar contexts, but diligent suggests earnest application to some specific object or pursuit. // very diligent in her pursuit of a degree

Q: Where would 'industrious' be a reasonable alternative to 'busy'?

The synonyms industrious and busy are sometimes interchangeable, but industrious implies characteristic or habitual devotion to work. // industrious employees

Q: When could 'sedulous' be used to replace 'busy'?

The words sedulous and busy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sedulous implies painstaking and persevering application. // a sedulous investigation of the murder

busy 1 of 2

adjective

ˈbi-zē

Definition of busy

as in engaged

involved in often constant activity the deadline is in two days, so everyone at work has been extremely busy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in buzzing

marked by much life, movement, or activity the busy, often hectic floor of the New York Stock Exchange

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in intruding

thrusting oneself where one is not welcome or invited she's one of those busy production facilitators—always concerned about other people's work and never her own

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

busy

2 of 2

verb

as in to interest

to hold the attention of the video game busied the child for hours

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word busy different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of busy are assiduous, diligent, industrious, and sedulous. While all these words mean "actively engaged or occupied," busy chiefly stresses activity as opposed to idleness or leisure.

too busy to spend time with the children

When would assiduous be a good substitute for busy?

While in some cases nearly identical to busy, assiduous stresses careful and unremitting application.

assiduous practice

In what contexts can diligent take the place of busy?

The words diligent and busy can be used in similar contexts, but diligent suggests earnest application to some specific object or pursuit.

very diligent in her pursuit of a degree

Where would industrious be a reasonable alternative to busy?

The synonyms industrious and busy are sometimes interchangeable, but industrious implies characteristic or habitual devotion to work.

industrious employees

When could sedulous be used to replace busy?

The words sedulous and busy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sedulous implies painstaking and persevering application.

a sedulous investigation of the murder

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of busy

Adjective

And, to be fair, James is booked and busy even without adding Bond, James Bond to his resume. — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026 An island fox, about the size of a large house cat, was busy foraging for food in the leaves. — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Verb

Silberman also busies himself as chairman of the welcoming committee. — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 2 May 2026 No Spotify playlists needed here—the natural sounds of this Arctic retreat are the perfect antidote to busy urban life. — Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for busy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for busy

Adjective

But writing notes by hand requires a more engaged mental filter.

— Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
By creating measurable value today, employees become more engaged in their roles.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of engaged

Adjective

Tucked away in a private backyard in Ashford, one of the state’s few apitherapy huts allows people to breathe in air from thousands of buzzing bees.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 6 Aug. 2026
Over the decades, the equipment evolved into today’s version of the sport, featuring a beeping softball and four-foot-tall buzzing foam bases that guide players through sound.

— Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of buzzing

Adjective

Adults’s Gen-Z characters tend to see their comforts as transient, their identities as mutable, and seriousness as an annoying obligation, all of which the second season pokes at a bit.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
Fluctuating estrogen levels can disrupt the nerves responsible for your sense of scent, leading to this symptom that’s equally bizarre and annoying.

— Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of annoying

Adjective

More recently, diligent and passionate biologists, chemists, and experts from other disciplines have used technology for contemporary experiments that reveal a spectrum of plant consciousness.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2026
Dark circles happen, acne pops up, and dark spots can even appear despite diligent sunscreen use.

— Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of diligent

Adjective

Ambivalent about leaving Wisconsin, Caroline is befriended by the officious Jemma James (Mary Holland), whose husband, Eli (Michael Hough), is a railroad man.

— Judy Berman, Time, 9 July 2026
The former is heralded with a blast of horns; the latter guards its inner sanctum behind Tobie Windham’s officious sentry.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Definition of officious

Verb

Netanyahu’s hard-line government has been accused of turning a blind eye to the settler attacks in the West Bank, which many governments around the world consider illegally occupied.

— F. Brinley Bruton, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
But no one has lived in the house since 2010, when it was occupied by architects Sirkka and Robert Damora for about five decades after the Booths.

— Nora DeLigter, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of occupy

Browse Nearby Words

busty

busy

busybodies

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Busy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/busy. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of busy

adjective

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

matriculate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes