work over
verb
worked over; working over; works over
1
: to subject to thorough examination, study, or treatment
shelf stock worked over by shoppers
2
: to do over : rework
saved the play by working the first act over
3
: to beat up or manhandle with thoroughness
My boxing opponent worked me over in the ring.
Examples of work over in a Sentence
the mob boss's thugs really worked him over
Recent Examples on the Web
The narration talked about Fox in the past tense and looked back on his life and work over the years.
—
Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
Nee confirmed that success has come because of hard work over the years.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Supply and demand The United States has done remarkable work over the past decade and a half reshaping its energy industry, thanks to the advent of hydraulic fracking and horizontal drilling, particularly in Texas’ Permian Basin.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2026
As a cybersecurity reporter at ProPublica, much of my work over the past two years has focused on how the federal government and its IT contractors, like Microsoft, have navigated major technological transitions.
—Renee Dudley, ProPublica, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for work over
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.
Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
Nee confirmed that success has come because of hard work over the years.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Supply and demand The United States has done remarkable work over the past decade and a half reshaping its energy industry, thanks to the advent of hydraulic fracking and horizontal drilling, particularly in Texas’ Permian Basin.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2026
As a cybersecurity reporter at ProPublica, much of my work over the past two years has focused on how the federal government and its IT contractors, like Microsoft, have navigated major technological transitions.
—Renee Dudley, ProPublica, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for work over
Cite this Entry
“Work over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/work%20over. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
