perhaps busier

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "perhaps busier" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when suggesting that someone might be more occupied or engaged than usual, often in a speculative manner. Example: "I thought we could meet this week, but you might be perhaps busier than I expected."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The school is not yet releasing admission numbers for next year's class, but Ms. Scull wrote, "This year's admissions season has been perhaps busier than usual, and to date we have had no reports of families planning to leave us".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The full dark canopies of June, however, soften and enrich the sound, and I love it most in the evenings, when the thrush himself, now well practised but perhaps busy with nests and chicks, seems less committed and mellower.

The Guardian

Coming from the swanky (and perhaps busy) Chevy MyLink infotainment system, CarPlay looks stark and plain.

TechCrunch

Since news of Qiu He's downfall, the Jiangsu businessmen in Yunnan have become hard to reach, perhaps busy packing their bags, afraid that they'll be caught in the net.

BBC

She keeps busy – perhaps too busy.

The Guardian - Books

While people are busy avoiding his sister because of what she says, they have been perhaps even busier avoiding Orestes because of his silence.

The Guardian - Books

Mr. Heggie, the composer of the opera "Dead Man Walking," is busy with many commissions these days, perhaps too busy.

The New York Times - Arts

The firm has perhaps the busiest antitrust practice in Washington.

The New York Times

Americans were too distracted — perhaps too busy drinking — to notice what they had lost.

The New York Times - Books

Perhaps his busiest period was 1970 to 1974, when he designed lights for 32 Broadway productions.

The New York Times - Arts

Admittedly, you will need to know a few other things, things that New Yorkers are perhaps too busy to tell you.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "perhaps busier" when you want to suggest someone is more occupied than usual but are not entirely certain. This phrase is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, adding a touch of tentativeness to your observation.

Common error

Avoid starting multiple sentences in a paragraph with "perhaps". While "perhaps busier" is grammatically correct, overusing "perhaps" can make your writing sound hesitant and repetitive. Vary your sentence structure by using synonyms like "possibly", "maybe", or rephrasing to express uncertainty in a different way.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "perhaps busier" functions as an adverbial modifier to a comparative adjective. It indicates a degree of uncertainty regarding a comparison. As noted by Ludwig, the phrase is deemed correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "perhaps busier" is a grammatically sound and usable expression, as confirmed by Ludwig. It serves to tentatively suggest that someone is more occupied than usual. While not very frequent in occurrence, "perhaps busier" appears mainly in news and media contexts. If you're looking for alternatives, you might consider options like "possibly more occupied" or "maybe more engaged". When using this phrase, avoid overuse in close proximity within your writing, as it may sound repetitive. As a side note, this construct is typically employed to mitigate the speaker's degree of assertion. Ludwig.ai's analysis indicates correctness and practicality in appropriate contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

possibly more occupied

Replaces "perhaps" with "possibly" and "busier" with "more occupied", maintaining a similar meaning of uncertain busyness.

maybe more engaged

Substitutes "perhaps" with "maybe" and "busier" with "more engaged", conveying a sense of potential involvement or activity.

potentially more active

Replaces "perhaps" with "potentially" and "busier" with "more active", suggesting a possibility of increased activity.

possibly having more commitments

Replaces "busier" with a phrase indicating a higher number of responsibilities, while maintaining the uncertainty with "possibly".

might be more tied up

Replaces "perhaps busier" with an idiom suggesting someone is occupied or engaged, softening the comparison.

conceivably more involved

Uses "conceivably" instead of "perhaps" and "more involved" for "busier", indicating something is within the realm of possibility.

perhaps more overloaded

Replaces "busier" with "more overloaded", implying being burdened with tasks. "Perhaps" is kept unchanged.

maybe has increased workload

Focuses on workload as the reason for being "busier", with "maybe" expressing uncertainty.

possibly experiencing high demand

Replaces "busier" with a reference to high demand, which could lead to one being busy, while using "possibly" for tentativeness.

might have a fuller schedule

Expresses the idea of being busy with having a fuller schedule. "Might" is used instead of "perhaps" to indicate uncertainty.

FAQs

How can I use "perhaps busier" in a sentence?

You can use "perhaps busier" to suggest someone might be more occupied than usual. For example, "I haven't heard from her; she's "perhaps busier" than she expected."

What is a synonym for "perhaps busier"?

Alternatives include "possibly more occupied", "maybe more engaged", or "potentially more active", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "perhaps more busy" instead of "perhaps busier"?

While "busy" can be modified by "more", "busier" is the standard comparative form. Using "perhaps busier" is generally preferred for its natural and concise phrasing.

When is it appropriate to use "perhaps busier"?

It's appropriate when you're making a tentative assessment about someone's level of activity, especially when you don't have concrete information. It adds a layer of politeness and avoids making definitive statements about someone else's schedule.