busy at this point

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "busy at this point" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone is currently occupied or engaged in a task at the present moment. Example: "I'm sorry, but I'm busy at this point and cannot take on any additional work right now."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

To assume that being "busy" (at this point it has totally lost its meaning) is cool, or brag-worthy, or tweetable, is ridiculous.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

"I was very busy at that point in my life," he said.

The New York Times

Judge Royce C. Lamberth of Federal District Court, disagreed, saying there was no legal reason that he should "require a person who is a busy cabinet secretary at this point to submit to an oral deposition".

The New York Times

The twins must have been busy playing, which is, at this point, their job, because their mother, Amanda, answered the phone.

Huffington Post

Also, Rocksteady was at this point busy on its own open-world Batman game Arkham Asylum.

Vice

In PrAlso of Video Gaming's PuRocksteadyth.

Vice

We all get busy at some point during writing, which makes it easy to toss in a sound-alike word such as 'reef' for 'wreath'; and you can carry on unaware that a mistake has been made...until later when it jumps out at you...then you are like, "Wow, I wrote that?".

WikiHow

If it gets busier, we might bring Fridays back, but at this point we're paying the bands out of our pockets totally".

The New York Times

At this point, the phone was busy with callers and Mr. McDonagh said, "If only the switchboard would light up like this when we're looking for funds".

The New York Times

Of course, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is old news at this point, and Samsung has been busy with its Galaxy Note 10.1-inch tablet in that same category.

TechCrunch

However, the Galápagos tortoises did not struggle for survival at this point because the islands were distant from busy shipping routes and harboured few valuable natural resources.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "busy at this point" to clearly indicate a temporary state of being occupied, implying that the situation may change later.

Common error

Avoid using "busy at this point" when describing a permanent condition. It suggests a temporary state, so ensure the context reflects this.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "busy at this point" functions as an adjective phrase, indicating a temporary state of being occupied or engaged in something. As shown in Ludwig, it clarifies that the busyness is specific to the current time.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

7%

Encyclopedias

7%

Reference

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "busy at this point" is a grammatically sound phrase used to denote a temporary state of being occupied, as also stated by Ludwig AI. While mostly used in news media and wiki sources, it can be considered as a neutral to informal expression. For a more formal communication style, you could consider more formal alternatives, such as "currently occupied" or "presently engaged". Keep in mind that using "busy at this point" implies that you will be available later.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

currently occupied

Focuses on the present state of being engaged with something.

presently engaged

Highlights current involvement or busyness.

right now occupied

Emphasizes immediate engagement.

tied up momentarily

Indicates a temporary state of being busy.

engaged in something now

Stresses current participation or involvement.

in the middle of something

Highlights being actively involved in an activity.

currently working on

Indicates ongoing effort on a task.

in progress at the moment

Focuses on the ongoing nature of an activity.

presently tied up

Stresses a current state of being occupied or busy.

momentarily unavailable

Indicates a temporary lack of availability due to current tasks.

FAQs

How can I use "busy at this point" in a sentence?

You can use "busy at this point" to indicate a temporary lack of availability. For example, "I am "busy at this point", but I will be free in an hour."

What are some alternatives to saying "busy at this point"?

Alternatives include "currently occupied", "presently engaged", or "tied up momentarily", depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "busy at this point" in formal writing?

While acceptable, "busy at this point" is generally more suitable for informal or neutral contexts. For formal writing, consider phrases like "currently occupied" or "presently engaged".

What does "busy at this point" imply about future availability?

"Busy at this point" suggests that the person or resource is unavailable now but will likely become available later. It indicates a temporary rather than permanent state.