overwork
verb
over·work
ˌō-vər-ˈwərk 
overworked; overworking; overworks
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
: 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
This internalized belief can lead to overworking on autopilot—a form of professional muscle memory where pushing through exhaustion becomes default behavior, even in the face of trauma, loss, or health challenges.
—
Amanda Miller Littlejohn, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Breast cancer survivor Julie Swallow, 56, initially chalked up her exhaustion to being overworked.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Players in the mid-to-late 80s, when Ramos entered the picture, were underpaid and overworked, nearly invisible to the general public.
—Pablo Maurer, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
We are typically overworked, underpaid, and not afforded the same ability to turn down opportunities with the support of a safety net or generational wealth as their white counterparts.
—Niani Tolbert, Essence, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overwork
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Amanda Miller Littlejohn, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Breast cancer survivor Julie Swallow, 56, initially chalked up her exhaustion to being overworked.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Players in the mid-to-late 80s, when Ramos entered the picture, were underpaid and overworked, nearly invisible to the general public.
—Pablo Maurer, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
We are typically overworked, underpaid, and not afforded the same ability to turn down opportunities with the support of a safety net or generational wealth as their white counterparts.
—Niani Tolbert, Essence, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overwork
Cite this Entry
“Overwork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overwork. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overwork
verb
over·work
-ˈwərk
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
: to cause to work too hard, too long, or to exhaustion
: to work too much or too long
overwork
noun
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