# busy work

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/busy-work
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Work or activity performed with the intention or result of occupying time, and not necessarily to accomplish something productive; routine work of low priority undertaken for the sake of avoiding idleness.

## Examples

- My teacher gives us busy work to keep us quiet.
- I finished my main project early, so my boss gave me some busy work to fill the afternoon.
- The committee spent hours on meaningless busy work, effectively delaying the important decision until the following month.

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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.