busy
gb/bˈɪzi/ us/bˈɪzi/
A2
English
~ 1900
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
state
1
Having a lot to do
Doing many things or having a lot of work.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is busy [doing something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'busy' with 'crowded' when talking about places. For example, 'The street is busy' means there is a lot of activity, not that it is physically full of people.
Synonyms
occupied (Slightly more formal; often used to indicate being engaged in a task.)
Antonyms
idle (Means not active or not doing anything.)
Collocations
busy schedule
|busy day
|busy week
|keep busy
|extremely busy
Themes
daily life
|work
|time management
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She’s been very busy preparing for the wedding.
- I can’t talk right now—I’m busy cooking dinner.
- He’s always busy with work and rarely takes a break.
- The shop was busy all afternoon.
- They are busy planning their holiday.
Learner examples
- I am busy with my homework.
- She is busy cooking dinner.
- He is busy reading a book.
- We are busy cleaning the house.
adjective
A2
property
2
Full of activity or people
A place with many people or things happening.
Usage pattern:
a busy [street/area/store]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'busy' for noise level alone, but it refers to activity and presence of people, not just sound.
Synonyms
crowded (Emphasizes the number of people rather than the level of activity.)
Antonyms
quiet (Describes a place with few people or little activity.)
Collocations
busy street
|busy market
|busy airport
|busy intersection
Themes
daily life
|travel
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The train station is always busy in the morning.
- It’s a busy street, so be careful crossing.
- The market was busy with tourists and locals.
- We avoided the busy roads by taking back streets.
Learner examples
- The shop is busy today.
- The street is busy with cars.
- The airport is busy this morning.
adjective
A2
state
3
Not free to do other things
Doing something so you cannot do other things right now.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is busy [with something]
Synonyms
engaged (More formal; often used in British English for telephone lines or meetings.)
Antonyms
available (Means free to do something else.)
Collocations
too busy
|busy at the moment
|busy right now
Themes
daily life
|time management
|communication
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I’m busy right now; can I call you back?
- He said he was too busy to join us for lunch.
- She’s busy with a project and can’t meet today.
Learner examples
- I am busy right now.
- She is too busy to talk.
- He is busy with his work.
adjective
B1
property
4
Having too many visual elements
Having too many shapes, colors, or lines so it looks messy.
Usage pattern:
a busy [design/pattern/image]
Synonyms
cluttered (Suggests disorganized or messy appearance.)
Antonyms
simple (Plain and without extra detail.)
Collocations
busy pattern
|busy wallpaper
|busy design
Themes
art
|design
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The wallpaper is too busy for such a small room.
- I find that shirt’s pattern a bit busy.
- The website design was too busy and hard to navigate.
Learner examples
- The picture is too busy.
- Her dress has a busy pattern.
- The page looks busy with many colors.
Grammar
Dictionary form
busy
IPA
GB/bˈɪzi/
US/bˈɪzi/
Syllables & stress
busy (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (busy)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: busy
- Comparative: busier
- Superlative: busiest
Word family
Forms
busier
adjective
busiest
adjective
Core family
business
noun A2
busily
adverb
Related words
busyness
noun
businessperson
noun
businesslike
adjective
Advanced or less common
busybody
noun
Expressions
busybodies
1/bəsəbˈoʊdiz/
fixed phrase
informal
People who pry into others’ affairs
People who try to know about or involve themselves in other people's private lives.
Examples
- The neighbors are such busybodies—they always know what’s going on.
- I try to avoid the office busybodies.
keep busy
1/kˈip bˈɪzi/
fixed phrase
Stay occupied with tasks or activities
To do things so you are not bored or idle.
Examples
- I like to keep busy during the holidays by gardening.
- He keeps busy with volunteer work after retirement.
busy as a bee
1/bˈɪzi ˈæz ə bˈi/
idiom
very busy and hard‑working
Very busy and working hard, with many things to do.
Examples
- She's been busy as a bee getting everything ready for the party.
- He was as busy as a bee all weekend, cleaning the house and doing repairs.
- The office is busy as a bee today with everyone rushing to meet the deadline.
busy as a bee
2/bˈɪzi ˈæz ə bˈi/
idiom
Very active and hardworking
Working hard and moving around a lot, like a bee.
Examples
- She’s been busy as a bee all morning, cleaning the house.
- He’s always busy as a bee when there’s a deadline coming up.
Mind your own business
2/mˈaɪnd jˈʊɹ ˈoʊn bˈɪznɪs/
idiom
informal
stay out of others' affairs
Do not ask about or try to be part of something that is private to someone else.
Examples
- He told her to mind her own business when she asked about his salary.
- I wish she would mind her own business instead of gossiping.
- Mind your own business and stop asking questions about my relationship.
- Mind your own business and stop asking questions about my life.
Mind your own business
3/mˈaɪnd jˈʊɹ ˈoʊn bˈɪznɪs/
idiom
informal
stop interfering in others' affairs
Used to tell someone to stop asking about things that are private or not their problem.
Examples
- She told him to mind his own business when he asked about her salary.
- Mind your own business and focus on your work.