busily

busily — adverb

1. doing something with full attention and lots of energy, so that you have no time

1.adverbB1
Definition

doing something with full attention and lots of energy, so that you have no time to stop or notice other things.

Example

Maya was busily wrapping presents at the kitchen table when the doorbell rang.

busily + -ing form (was busily wrapping)

The bees moved busily from flower to flower in Grandma's small garden.

busily modifying a verb of motion

Common collocations
  • busily writing
  • busily working
  • busily preparing
  • busily engaged in
  • busily chatting
Synonyms
  • actively

    neutral; focuses on doing rather than rest, without the 'no time to spare' feel.

  • industriously

    more formal; stresses steady hard work over a long period.

  • diligently

    stresses care and thoroughness rather than quick energetic motion.

Antonyms
  • idly

    doing nothing useful; the opposite of being focused on a task.

  • lazily

    moving slowly, without effort or interest.

Grammar Patterns

busily + -ing form

busily + verb

Usage Note

Subject is usually a person, group, or animal that is doing visible, ongoing work. Often appears with a continuous tense (was/were busily doing) and rarely modifies states or feelings — say 'busily writing', not 'busily knowing'.

Common Mistakes

She was busy writing letters.
She was busily writing letters.
when the meaning is 'in an active, focused way', use the adverb 'busily' before the -ing verb, not the adjective 'busy'.
He looked busily.
He looked busy.
'busily' modifies a verb of action, not a linking verb describing how someone seems.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four describe doing things rather than resting, but they highlight different qualities. 'Busily' suggests visible, energetic motion — someone fully absorbed in a task with no time to chat. 'Actively' is the most neutral and just contrasts with being passive or still: a member can be 'actively involved' without looking hurried. 'Industriously' is more formal and praises steady, hardworking effort over time, often used about workers or students. 'Diligently' stresses care and thoroughness rather than speed: a diligent reader checks every footnote, while a busily working reader is racing through pages. So you might say, 'The volunteers worked busily all morning,' but in a school report write, 'She has studied diligently this term.'

busily ↗actively ↗industriouslydiligently

Common collocations

Phrases

  • busily engaged in
  • busily occupied with
  • busily at work

Prepositions

  • busily with
  • busily at

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed in Middle English by adding the adverb ending -ly to the adjective 'busy', which goes back to Old English 'bisig', meaning 'careful, occupied, anxious'. The adjective itself has unclear roots and does not have close relatives in other Germanic languages. The adverb has kept the same core idea for centuries: showing that someone is fully taken up with what they are doing.