workhorse

noun work·horse \ ˈwərk-ˌhȯrs \

|Updated on: 17 Aug 2018

Definition of workhorse

1 : a horse used chiefly for labor as distinguished from driving, riding, or racing

2 a (1) : a person who performs most of the work of a group task

(2) : a hardworking person

b : something that is markedly useful, durable, or dependable

c : horse 7

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Recent Examples of workhorse from the Web

Ram 1500 shoppers shouldn’t be cross-shopping either of those vehicles, as the Titan XD is a heavy-duty workhorse and a new 2019 Silverado is coming in the fall.

— robert duffer, chicagotribune.com, "2019 Ram 1500 is the pickup truck for winning arguments," 2 July 2018
This kit contains three very easy workhorse basics.

— shannon barbour, The Cut, "The 10 Best Products From Dermstore’s Secret Sale," 13 Apr. 2018
By the 1990s, the Dash 8 had become a workhorse for USAir (later US Airways).

— ben mutzabaugh, USA TODAY, "End of an era: American ends turboprop flying with Dash 8 retirement," 9 July 2018
Intel’s strength in processing chips has come under pressure as graphics processors, primarily from Nvidia Corp. , emerged as a workhorse for artificial intelligence.

— tripp mickle, WSJ, "Intel CEO Search Follows Other Executive Exits," 21 June 2018
The Block 5, a culmination of more than 10 years of development, marks the final design iteration for the Falcon 9 and will be the version the company relies on as its workhorse for the foreseeable future.

— amy thompson, WIRED, "Watch the New SpaceX Reusable Rocket Make Its Debut," 10 May 2018
Regardless of who was at the helm of the Freedom, the right-hander from Louisville, Kentucky was considered a workhorse starter who was always ready when needed.

— Cincinnati.com, "Freedom players head to all-star game," 10 July 2018
Change horses: Solomon Cordwell Buenz is a respected workhorse firm that specializes in high-rise apartment buildings.

— blair kamin, chicagotribune.com, "We're only stuck with the lousy Union Station design if we fail to rethink it. Let the debate begin.," 27 June 2018
Since 2010, Dell’s XPS 15 has been a reliable, 15-inch performance workhorse and a light gaming option for users who aren’t impressed by the over-the-top designs of dedicated gaming laptops.

— samuel axon, Ars Technica, "Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 review: Meet the child of Intel and AMD’s unholy union," 23 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'workhorse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of workhorse

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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WORKHORSE Defined for English Language Learners

workhorse

noun

Definition of workhorse for English Language Learners

: a dependable person who does a lot of work
: a dependable machine or vehicle that is used to do a lot of work

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See words that rhyme with workhorse Britannica English: Translation of workhorse for Arabic speakers

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