to overwork

Examples

• All

• Be aware of this and don't overwork them on very cold and windy days.

  Blog text (2)

• I think we, as a nation, tend to be overworked and underpaid.

  Blog text (12)

• We often overwork to try to get it all.

• Well, I never overwork myself for anybody.

  Belle of the Nineties (1934)

• So this feels like having to overwork yourself to accomplish it.

  Stephan Speaks

• Thanks for keeping up the good work; try not to totally overwork yourself, Coela!

  Blog text (2)

• They're overworked these days.

  Brazil (1985)

• Migrant families were often mistreated, overworked, and unfairly paid.

  Fiction book (1999)

• Beset by chronic staff shortages and turnover, social workers tend to be overworked and are often asked to take on large client caseloads.

  Academic text (2011)

• She tends to overwork herself, often staying late at the office even when she's exhausted.

Synonyms

O

to overwhelm

vsto overwork

88 3.9

Give someone too much work or problems so they cannot cope

is narrower, stressing excessive assigned work and resulting harm

O

to overburden

vsto overwork

12 5.9

To give someone too much work or responsibility

is similar but highlights pushing work until harm or exhaustion occurs

F

to fatigue

vsto overwork

11 4.6

To make someone very tired by hard work or long effort

is the active act of making someone work too much and harm them

W

to work like a dog

vsto overwork

• Informal

8 3.4

Spend a lot of time doing hard, tiring tasks

adds the idea of forcing too much work that leads to harm

O

to overexert

vsto overwork

4 6.5

Make more effort than your body or mind can handle

focuses more on excessive assigned work and its harmful effects

O

to overtire

vsto overwork

3 6.8

To make someone very tired by doing too much

is broader, causing excessive work leading to harm or exhaustion

O

to overexert oneself

vsto overwork

3 7.2

Make too much effort with your body or mind so it is unhealthy

stresses imposing too much work rather than self-driven overeffort

W

to work like crazy

vsto overwork

• Informal

3 4.8

Try very hard for some time

involves imposing excessive work that may cause real harm or exhaustion

O

to overdrive

vsto overwork

1 6.3

To make someone work too hard until they are tired

is more about assigning too much work rather than general pushing

O

to overstress

vsto overwork

1 4.4

To put too much strain on the body or mind

focuses more on giving excessive work that leads to strain

O

to overstretch

vsto overwork

1 5.5

To push someone or something beyond what they can manage

focuses more specifically on excessive work that harms health

O

to overfatigue

vsto overwork

8.4

To make someone very tired so they cannot work or think well

is wider, implying too much work that can also cause harm

O

to overtired

vsto overwork

3.5

To make someone very sleepy from too much activity

emphasizes excess work that may also damage health or ability

O

to overstrain

vsto overwork

6.5

To push yourself or something too hard so it breaks and you become very tired

is about making someone work too hard, often causing harm

S

to swamp someone with tasks

vsto overwork

• Informal

6.3

To give someone more work than they can do

is about making someone work excessively, often causing physical harm

O

to overweary

vsto overwork

• Archaic

9.5

To make someone very tired by doing too much without rest

emphasizes imposed excessive work with potential lasting harm

W

to work to the bone

vsto overwork

• Informal

6.0

To do very hard, long tasks until you are very tired

is the general act of forcing too much work with harmful effects

B

to break one's back

vsto overwork

• Informal

6.0

To work very hard at something until you are very tired

is the broader practice of overloading work that can cause harm

R

to run off someone's feet

vsto overwork

• UK

7.1

To make someone very busy and tired with too much work

is specifically the act of making someone work excessively and harmfully

Antonyms

R

rest

703 1.0

A period when you stop activity to relax or sleep

E

to ease

305 2.1

To make something less painful or difficult

How Overworked

to exhaust

194 3.2

to overwork

15 4.1

to overburden

12 5.9

to ask

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology