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
The aftermath of the heist sparked multiple partial closures, delayed openings, and staff strikes this past December and January, with staff saying they are overworked and understaffed and that the museum needed greater investment in its infrastructure.
—
Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 17 June 2026
Always close exterior doors to prevent warm air from entering and overworking your AC.
—Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 13 June 2026
Freshen Shoes The next time your stinky sneakers and overworked sock shoes need freshening, fight those unpleasant odors with paper towels.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 3 June 2026
Teachers, nurses and doctors across the country regularly sound alarms about being overworked and underfunded, and many end up leaving their public jobs in frustration at impossible conditions.
—Ola Morris Innset, The Dial, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwork
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Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 17 June 2026
Always close exterior doors to prevent warm air from entering and overworking your AC.
—Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 13 June 2026
Freshen Shoes The next time your stinky sneakers and overworked sock shoes need freshening, fight those unpleasant odors with paper towels.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 3 June 2026
Teachers, nurses and doctors across the country regularly sound alarms about being overworked and underfunded, and many end up leaving their public jobs in frustration at impossible conditions.
—Ola Morris Innset, The Dial, 2 June 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 20 Jun. 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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