busyness

[ biz-ee-nis ]

noun

1. the quality or condition of being busy.
2. lively but meaningless activity.

Other Words From

• non·busy·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of busyness¹

First recorded in 1840–50; busy + -ness

Example Sentences

"There was a busyness before. It is only hitting people now."

From BBC

When he gets runs, he is praised for being busy, but that busyness can become frenetic, especially at the start of his innings.

From BBC

Babies do not arrive on anyone’s schedule, and the busyness of labor and delivery units can wax and wane accordingly.

From Los Angeles Times

I think of an anecdote in sociologist Liah Greenfeld’s prescient 2005 paper, “When the Sky Is the Limit: Busyness in Contemporary American Society.”

From Slate

Bethany: This entirely marvelous saloon is on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Tiffany-style lampshades are bedecked with red tulips, and not one but two antique cash registers watch over the proceedings, and the rich woodwork is mahogany, and the bartender’s level of busyness directly on the heels of the film kept making me think stunts were about to break out.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• effort
• industry
• study