# business as usual

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/business-as-usual
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

The normal course of an activity, particularly in circumstances that are out of the ordinary.

## Examples

- Despite the office fire, it is business as usual today.
- Even though the manager resigned suddenly, the team kept working and treated it as business as usual.
- Following the unexpected merger, the company issued a statement promising that operations would continue as business as usual for all current employees.

## Origin

Popularized by Winston Churchill as motto in World War I.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.