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
Dirty filters cost more to use and overwork the equipment.
—
Cheyenne Derksen, Oklahoman, 23 Jan. 2026
Limestone is used throughout for consistency and durability, while custom banquette seating and restrained decorative details keep the spaces comfortable without feeling overworked.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Jan. 2026
The minutes and hours after an arrest are crucial and often overworked public defenders don’t have the time and resources to mount an effective defense.
—Yosha Gunasekera, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
DeSantis pitched its resurrection by saying the state needed a group of volunteers who could assist Florida’s overworked National Guard after storms and other emergencies within the state.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwork
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Cheyenne Derksen, Oklahoman, 23 Jan. 2026
Limestone is used throughout for consistency and durability, while custom banquette seating and restrained decorative details keep the spaces comfortable without feeling overworked.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Jan. 2026
The minutes and hours after an arrest are crucial and often overworked public defenders don’t have the time and resources to mount an effective defense.
—Yosha Gunasekera, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
DeSantis pitched its resurrection by saying the state needed a group of volunteers who could assist Florida’s overworked National Guard after storms and other emergencies within the state.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwork
Cite this Entry
“Overwork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overwork. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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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