to work through
- phrasal verb
- /wɜrk θru/
- We can work through this problem together step by step.
- work through a problem
- work through challenges
- work through your way
So it wasn't something I, I, I kind of worked through independently.
- So it wasn't something I, I, I kind of worked through independently.
- And I'm, I'm wondering how you worked through these things.
- Discipline is the key and you build that by working through those uncomfortable moments.
- The degree to which your man can work through conflict.
- And if it is therapy, there's some trauma there you need to work through moving along.
- You'll hold your ground, work through the shame, and have more solid boundaries.
- I never really thought to to forgive myself because I'm working through that as we speak.
Examples
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Read the directions aloud and work through the example with the students as a group.
Academic text (2012) -
I'm going to read you those as we work through this list.
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So we sort of just worked through one step at a time.
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So I had an issue having to like work through that process.
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You have to work your way through it.
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We can work through this.
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GO! is designed to help middle and high school students work through a research project step by step.
Academic text (2013) -
Each student has a copy of that problem, which the teacher and students work through together.
Academic text (2015) -
Let's go ahead and carefully work through the proof.
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In 2001, he used his I-E-O model to work through the domains described in the taxonomy.
Academic text (2011)
Synonyms
Spend time and effort improving or finishing something
To find a solution or plan by thinking carefully
To try hard to get better at or finish something over time
To look at something carefully to find mistakes or missing details
To find an answer to a problem by thinking or talking
To finish a difficult or long task
To carefully check and change writing or plans for mistakes
Antonyms
How Thorough
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'to deal with something thoroughly or step by step' is directly built from 'work' (apply effort, proceed toward a goal) combined with 'through' (completely, from start to finish), so a learner who knows both words can readily infer the meaning. This verb + particle composition is a common, cross-linguistically familiar pattern for processing or completing tasks, making it transparent to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Work through comes from the image of using work to move through a pile, list, or problem, doing one step at a time. So it now means 'to deal with something carefully, step by step' or 'to process feelings'.