industrious

adjective

in·​dus·​tri·​ous in-ˈdə-strē-əs 

1

: constantly, regularly, or habitually active or occupied : diligent

an industrious worker

2

obsolete : skillful, ingenious

industriously adverb

industriousness noun

Synonyms

• active
• assiduous
• bustling
• busy
• diligent
• employed
• engaged
• hopping
• laborious
• occupied
• sedulous
• tied-up
• working

Choose the Right Synonym for industrious

busy, industrious, diligent, assiduous, sedulous mean actively engaged or occupied.

busy chiefly stresses activity as opposed to idleness or leisure.

too busy to spend time with the children

industrious implies characteristic or habitual devotion to work.

industrious employees

diligent suggests earnest application to some specific object or pursuit.

very diligent in her pursuit of a degree

assiduous stresses careful and unremitting application.

assiduous practice

sedulous implies painstaking and persevering application.

a sedulous investigation of the murder

Examples of industrious in a Sentence

He is an industrious worker.

an industrious worker who never seems to sleep

Recent Examples on the Web

Neither veteran defenseman Cam Fowler nor power forward Mason McTavish played Sunday, and both were missing from Tuesday’s practice, as was industrious winger Robby Fabbri. —Andrew Knoll, Orange County Register, 12 Nov. 2024

Melania Trump also wasn’t known to be the most industrious of first ladies, according to Rogers. —Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024

In just eight years, Rasca has opened three additional sites: In a restored church in Mayfair, on the industrious docklands of Wood Wharf, and most recently, in an unused car park in Ilford. —Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune Europe, 5 Nov. 2024

Time’s list of the top 200 inventions of 2024 dropped last week, highlighting the year’s most promising products and industrious ideas—including those from fashion industry darlings. —Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

industrious

adjective

in·​dus·​tri·​ous in-ˈdəs-trē-əs 

: constantly or regularly active or occupied

an industrious farmer

industriously adverb

industriousness noun