English dictionary



Hint: Question mark (?) is a wildcard. Question mark substitutes one character.

English adjective: busy

1. busy actively or fully engaged or occupied


SamplesBusy with her work.
A busy man.
Too busy to eat lunch.


Similarat work, drudging, engaged, laboring, labouring, occupied, overbusy, tied up, toiling, up to


See alsodiligent, employed


Antonymsidle

2. busy overcrowded or cluttered with detail


SamplesA busy painting.
A fussy design.


Synonymsfussy


Similarfancy


Antonymsplain

3. busy intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner


SamplesAn interfering old woman.
Bustling about self-importantly making an officious nuisance of himself.
Busy about other people's business.


Synonymsbusybodied, interfering, meddlesome, meddling, officious


Similarintrusive


Antonymsnot intrusive, unintrusive

4. busy crowded with or characterized by much activity


SamplesA very busy week.
A busy life.
A busy street.
A busy seaport.


Similaractive


Antonymsinactive

5. busy (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)


SamplesHer line is busy.
Receptionists' telephones are always engaged.
The lavatory is in use.
Kept getting a busy signal.


Synonymsengaged, in use


Similaroccupied


Antonymsunoccupied


English verb: busy

1. busy (social) keep busy with


SamplesShe busies herself with her butterfly collection.


Synonymsoccupy


Pattern of useSomebody ----s somebody.
Somebody ----s somebody PP


Broader (hypernym)work


Narrower (hyponym)dabble, play around, potter, putter, smatter









Based on WordNet 3.0 copyright © Princeton University.
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