work ethic
noun
: a belief in work as a moral good : a set of values centered on the importance of doing work and reflected especially in a desire or determination to work hard
Examples of work ethic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
By nineteen, she was married with two children, and discovering that an indefatigable work ethic meant nothing when a man could forbid you from working.
—
Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
There’s high degrees of responsibility, discipline, efficiency, productivity, work ethic and standards.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 22 Mar. 2026
They are led by resilient people with strong work ethics.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 22 Mar. 2026
Beyond her quality on the ball, Reiten brings a winning mentality and work ethic — traits drilled into her from spending five years playing under Hayes.
—Karen Carney, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for work ethic
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
There’s high degrees of responsibility, discipline, efficiency, productivity, work ethic and standards.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 22 Mar. 2026
They are led by resilient people with strong work ethics.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 22 Mar. 2026
Beyond her quality on the ball, Reiten brings a winning mentality and work ethic — traits drilled into her from spending five years playing under Hayes.
—Karen Carney, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for work ethic
Cite this Entry
“Work ethic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/work%20ethic. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
