Phrase guide

business as usual

adj · phrase · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adj

Meaning 1

That is usual, expected, not extraordinary.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

phrase

Meaning 2

The normal course of an activity, particularly in circumstances that are out of the ordinary.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

phrase

Meaning 3

The normal execution of standard functional operations within an organisation, particularly in contrast to a project or program which would introduce change (although that change may itself become business as usual).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Popularized by Winston Churchill as motto in World War I.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: comme si de rien n'était — The normal course of an activity, in circumstances that are out of the ordinary
  • German: Tagesgeschäft — The normal course of an activity, in circumstances that are out of the ordinary
  • Hungarian: szokásos ügymenet/üzletmenet — The normal course of an activity, in circumstances that are out of the ordinary
  • Hungarian: mintha semmi sem történt volna — The normal course of an activity, in circumstances that are out of the ordinary
  • Hungarian: mintha mi se történt volna — The normal course of an activity, in circumstances that are out of the ordinary
  • Hungarian: az élet megy tovább — The normal course of an activity, in circumstances that are out of the ordinary
  • Portuguese: mais do mesmo — The normal course of an activity, in circumstances that are out of the ordinary
  • Portuguese: o costume — The normal course of an activity, in circumstances that are out of the ordinary
  • Russian: обы́чный поря́док ве́дения дел (obýčnyj porjádok védenija del) — The normal course of an activity, in circumstances that are out of the ordinary
  • Spanish: como si nada ocurriera — The normal course of an activity, in circumstances that are out of the ordinary
  • Spanish: zona de conflicto — The normal course of an activity, in circumstances that are out of the ordinary
  • Spanish: como si tal cosa — The normal course of an activity, in circumstances that are out of the ordinary
  • Spanish: más de lo mismo — The normal course of an activity, in circumstances that are out of the ordinary
  • Spanish: sin novedad en el frente — The normal course of an activity, in circumstances that are out of the ordinary
  • Spanish: lo mismo de siempre — The normal course of an activity, in circumstances that are out of the ordinary