workhorse

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noun work·horse \ˈwərk-ˌhȯrs\

Definition of workhorse

1 : a horse used chiefly for labor as distinguished from driving, riding, or racing
2a (1) : a person who performs most of the work of a group task (2) : a hardworking personb : something that is markedly useful, durable, or dependablec : horse 7

See workhorse defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of workhorse from the Web

The Dolphins don't expect Drake to turn into their workhorse running back as Ajayi did.

— mark inabinett, AL.com, "Miami Dolphins want Kenyan Drake to become 'a consistent guy' in 2017", 2 June 2017
This walnut model is both a workhorse and a gorgeous addition to your kitchen.

— jamie feldmar, GQ, "The Best Wooden Cutting Boards for Your Kitchen", 29 May 2017
Jackson is an old-school, four-year workhorse in an era of tailback-by-committee offenses and early NFL draft entrants.

— ap, USA TODAY, "One tough cat: Northwestern's Jackson carries heavy load", 27 May 2017
The avocado trees are the workhorses, acting as trellises for passion fruit vines and providing shade for the coffee bushes.

— stephanie strom, New York Times, "Your Coffee Is From Where? California?", 26 May 2017
But as a business-class workhorse, though, this Gateway is positively tip-top.

— christopher null, WIRED, "Review: Gateway NX570X Notebook Computer", 9 Jan. 2007

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.