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
Stirring frequently—but not nonstop—helps release starch and create creaminess without overworking the rice.
—
Carla Lalli Music, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Mar. 2026
They are tasked with making sure a plant can withstand a severe weather event or the seismic shock of an earthquake, and ensuring the plant is not overworking the nuclear fuel that generates power.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 10 Mar. 2026
Right now, one of the biggest problems in our justice system, in my opinion, is the fact that public defense is overworked, underpaid.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
The Illinois Attorney General is suing a suburban McDonald's restaurant, accusing the operator of overworking teens, some for 17 hours straight.
—Cbs Chicago Team, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwork
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Carla Lalli Music, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Mar. 2026
They are tasked with making sure a plant can withstand a severe weather event or the seismic shock of an earthquake, and ensuring the plant is not overworking the nuclear fuel that generates power.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 10 Mar. 2026
Right now, one of the biggest problems in our justice system, in my opinion, is the fact that public defense is overworked, underpaid.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
The Illinois Attorney General is suing a suburban McDonald's restaurant, accusing the operator of overworking teens, some for 17 hours straight.
—Cbs Chicago Team, CBS News, 8 Mar. 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 14 Mar. 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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