overwork

verb

over·​work ˌō-vər-ˈwərk How to pronounce overwork (audio)
overworked; overworking; overworks

transitive verb

1
: to cause to work too hard, too long, or to exhaustion
overworked the horses
2
a
: to work too much on
overwork bread dough
b
: to make excessive use of
overworked tunes

intransitive verb

: to work too much or too long : overdo
overwork noun

Examples of overwork in a Sentence

The whole crew seemed exhausted, probably from overworking. The captain routinely overworked the crew. He overworks the melody in the song. If you overwork the dough, the bread will be tough.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Such conditions can lead to situations where an unscrupulous employer overworks their laborers or withholds pay, for instance. Frey Lindsay, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024 Often overworked and underpaid, frontline employees are feeling pushed to the brink. Samuel Burke, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2024 What Exactly Is Your Core? Often, core work focuses on building the vanity muscles of the six-pack (also known as the rectus abdominis) through crunches, which can overwork the hip flexors and lead to neck and lower back discomfort. Alyssa Ages, Outside Online, 25 Oct. 2024 Repeating certain facial expressions could overwork some muscles and lead to skin folding and worsen the appearance of wrinkles in between the eyebrows, horizontal forehead lines, and crow’s feet, Zeichner says. Erica Sweeney, TIME, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for overwork 

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overwork was in 1530

Dictionary Entries Near overwork

Cite this Entry

“Overwork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overwork. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

overwork

verb
over·​work -ˈwərk How to pronounce overwork (audio)
1
: to work or cause to work too hard or long
overworked the crew
2
: to use too much
overworked phrases
overwork noun

Medical Definition

overwork

transitive verb
over·​work ˌō-vər-ˈwərk How to pronounce overwork (audio)
: to cause to work too hard, too long, or to exhaustion

intransitive verb

: to work too much or too long
overwork noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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