23 Idioms for Busy

Life can get overwhelming with tasks, responsibilities, and commitments, leaving us feeling constantly on the go. To describe this hustle and bustle, English offers a rich variety of idioms that perfectly capture the feeling of being busy. Whether it’s being “swamped with work” or “running around like a headless chicken,” these idioms help convey just how full our schedules can become.

In this article, we’ll explore 23 idioms for busy, offering creative ways to describe a hectic schedule, overwhelming tasks, or the constant motion that comes with being busy. These idioms will not only enhance your vocabulary but also add energy and personality to your conversations when you need to express how busy you truly are.

1. Swamped with work

Meaning: To have a lot of work or responsibilities, often more than one can handle
In a Sentence:
– “I can’t meet you today; I’m swamped with work and won’t have any free time.”
– “She’s swamped with work this week and won’t be able to attend the meeting.”
Other Ways to Say: Overwhelmed with tasks / Buried in work

2. Run around like a headless chicken

Meaning: To be extremely busy, often in a disorganized or frantic way
In a Sentence:
– “I’ve been running around like a headless chicken all day, trying to get everything done.”
– “She was running around like a headless chicken, managing multiple deadlines at once.”
Other Ways to Say: Frantically busy / Chaotic

3. Have a lot on one’s plate

Meaning: To have many tasks or responsibilities to deal with at the same time
In a Sentence:
– “I’m sorry I can’t help, I have a lot on my plate today.”
– “She’s dealing with a lot on her plate right now, balancing work and family life.”
Other Ways to Say: Overloaded / Busy with responsibilities

4. Be up to one’s ears in something

Meaning: To be very involved or occupied with something, usually to the point of being overwhelmed
In a Sentence:
– “I’m up to my ears in paperwork and can’t take on any new tasks right now.”
– “He’s up to his ears in projects and barely has time for himself.”
Other Ways to Say: Swamped / Drowning in tasks

5. In the thick of things

Meaning: To be deeply involved in a busy or hectic situation
In a Sentence:
– “She’s in the thick of things at work right now, trying to finish all the reports before the deadline.”
– “With the event approaching, I’m in the thick of things, running errands and coordinating logistics.”
Other Ways to Say: Deep in the middle of things / Fully engaged

6. Be on the go

Meaning: To be constantly active, moving, or engaged in tasks
In a Sentence:
– “I’ve been on the go all day, running errands and attending meetings.”
– “She’s always on the go, juggling work, social events, and family commitments.”
Other Ways to Say: Constantly busy / Always active

7. Run ragged

Meaning: To be exhausted or worn out due to being overly busy or overworked
In a Sentence:
– “I’ve been running ragged this week with back-to-back appointments and deadlines.”
– “He was run ragged by the workload, barely having time to rest.”
Other Ways to Say: Exhausted from work / Overworked

8. Tied up

Meaning: To be busy or occupied, unable to do anything else
In a Sentence:
– “I’m tied up at the moment, but I’ll call you back when I’m free.”
– “She’s tied up with a client right now, but she’ll be available in an hour.”
Other Ways to Say: Occupied / Engaged

9. Drowning in work

Meaning: To be overwhelmed by an excessive amount of work or tasks
In a Sentence:
– “I’m drowning in work today; I have so many emails and reports to go through.”
– “He’s been drowning in work lately, trying to meet multiple deadlines.”
Other Ways to Say: Overloaded with work / Buried in tasks

10. Have one’s hands full

Meaning: To be busy with a lot of tasks, often to the point of being unable to handle more
In a Sentence:
– “I can’t take on another project; I already have my hands full with the current ones.”
– “She has her hands full with organizing the event and managing the guests.”
Other Ways to Say: Occupied / Overloaded

11. A whirlwind

Meaning: A situation or period of time that is very busy, fast-paced, and chaotic
In a Sentence:
– “It’s been a whirlwind of activities this week with all the meetings and deadlines.”
– “The past few days have been a whirlwind, and I haven’t had a moment to relax.”
Other Ways to Say: Frenzied / Hectic

12. Burning the candle at both ends

Meaning: To be working excessively, often without taking enough rest or breaks
In a Sentence:
– “I’ve been burning the candle at both ends, staying up late to finish work and waking up early for meetings.”
– “She’s been burning the candle at both ends, juggling multiple projects and personal commitments.”
Other Ways to Say: Overworking / Exhausting oneself

13. In over one’s head

Meaning: To be involved in a situation or task that is more complex or difficult than one can handle
In a Sentence:
– “I think I’m in over my head with this project—it’s more than I expected.”
– “She got in over her head trying to organize the event on her own.”
Other Ways to Say: Overwhelmed / Out of depth

14. On the clock

Meaning: To be actively engaged in work or a task, often within a specific time frame
In a Sentence:
– “I’m on the clock for the next few hours, so I can’t take a break just yet.”
– “She’s always on the clock, working from the moment she gets to the office.”
Other Ways to Say: On duty / Busy with work

15. Chasing one’s tail

Meaning: To be very busy but not making any real progress, often going in circles
In a Sentence:
– “I’ve been chasing my tail all morning, trying to catch up on emails and phone calls.”
– “We’re just chasing our tails here—let’s focus on one task at a time.”
Other Ways to Say: Going in circles / Stuck in a loop

16. In a jam

Meaning: To be in a difficult or busy situation, often with no easy way out
In a Sentence:
– “I’m really in a jam right now with so many deadlines overlapping.”
– “He’s in a jam trying to manage both his work and personal life.”
Other Ways to Say: In a tight spot / In a difficult situation

17. On a tight schedule

Meaning: To have very little time to complete a task or meet a deadline
In a Sentence:
– “We’re on a tight schedule, so we need to finish this project by tomorrow.”
– “She’s on a tight schedule and can only spare a few minutes for the meeting.”
Other Ways to Say: Rushed / Limited time

18. Juggling multiple tasks

Meaning: To handle several tasks at the same time, often in a hectic or overwhelming way
In a Sentence:
– “I’m juggling multiple tasks today, trying to finish everything before the end of the day.”
– “He’s been juggling multiple tasks at work, from presentations to meetings.”
Other Ways to Say: Multitasking / Managing several responsibilities

19. Racing against the clock

Meaning: To work quickly and urgently, often because time is running out
In a Sentence:
– “We’re racing against the clock to finish the project before the deadline.”
– “She was racing against the clock to get everything done before her flight.”
Other Ways to Say: Working under time pressure / In a time crunch

20. In the thick of it

Meaning: To be deeply involved in a busy or chaotic situation
In a Sentence:
– “I’m in the thick of it with this project, trying to meet all the requirements before the end of the day.”
– “She’s in the thick of it, managing the event and coordinating with the team.”
Other Ways to Say: Fully engaged / Deep in the middle

21. On the go

Meaning: Constantly active or engaged in tasks, often without taking breaks
In a Sentence:
– “I’ve been on the go all day, running errands and attending meetings.”
– “She’s always on the go, managing her job and looking after her family.”
Other Ways to Say: Constantly busy / Always active

22. Burning the midnight oil

Meaning: To work late into the night, often to meet a deadline or complete a task
In a Sentence:
– “I’ve been burning the midnight oil trying to finish this report before tomorrow.”
– “She’s been burning the midnight oil to get everything ready for the presentation.”
Other Ways to Say: Staying up late / Working long hours

23. In a rat race

Meaning: A situation where people are competing in a frantic and often stressful way for success or rewards
In a Sentence:
– “He’s stuck in a rat race, constantly working long hours to keep up with the competition.”
– “Life can feel like a rat race sometimes, with everyone scrambling for promotions.”
Other Ways to Say: Competitive environment / Stressful race

Practice Exercise

Fill in the blanks using the correct idiom from the list:

1. I can’t talk right now; I’m __________ with meetings all afternoon.
2. She’s always __________, juggling work, family, and personal projects.
3. I’m sorry, I can’t make it—I’m __________ and barely have a free minute.
4. We’re __________ to finish the report by the end of the day.
5. He’s been __________, trying to meet multiple deadlines at the same time.
6. She has so much on her plate; she’s __________ at the moment.
7. I’ve been __________ for the last few hours, trying to get all these tasks done.
8. I’m __________, but I can call you back as soon as I finish this call.
9. I was __________ trying to catch up on all my emails and messages.
10. The project was a complete __________, with multiple last-minute changes.
11. He’s __________, and there’s no time for him to attend meetings.
12. After the meeting, I was __________ with new tasks to handle.
13. The whole event felt like __________—things were disorganized and out of control.
14. The deadline is approaching, and we’re __________ to get everything ready.
15. I’m sorry I’m late; I’ve been __________ all day, and lost track of time.
16. She was __________ when I asked her for help with the project.
17. With everything going on, I’m __________ in work and can’t handle more tasks.
18. We’re __________ to get this report done by the end of the day.
19. He’s been __________, working on multiple projects simultaneously.
20. The team has been __________ trying to get everything organized for the event.
21. I’m sorry, I can’t meet today; I’m __________ with responsibilities.
22. I was __________ trying to finish this report before the deadline.
23. She’s __________, with no time for anything except work.

Answer Key

1. Swamped with work
2. On the go
3. Burning the midnight oil
4. Racing against the clock
5. Juggling multiple tasks
6. In over one’s head
7. Running ragged
8. Tied up
9. Chasing one’s tail
10. A hot mess
11. On a tight schedule
12. Swamped with work
13. A whirlwind
14. Racing against the clock
15. On the go
16. Burning the candle at both ends
17. Drowning in work
18. In the thick of it
19. Juggling multiple tasks
20. In the thick of it
21. Swamped with work
22. Burning the midnight oil
23. On the go

Conclusion

Being busy is a part of life, but sometimes it can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re “swamped with work”, “racing against the clock”, or “burning the midnight oil,” we all experience times when we are simply overloaded with tasks and responsibilities. These 23 idioms for busy help us describe our hectic schedules in a way that makes it easier to express how demanding our lives can get.

By incorporating these idioms into your vocabulary, you’ll be able to communicate your busy lifestyle more vividly and creatively, allowing others to better understand just how much you have going on. From “running around like a headless chicken” to “juggling multiple tasks,” these expressions can be used in both professional and personal contexts, making them a valuable addition to your language skills.