workhorse

noun

work·​horse ˈwərk-ˌhȯrs 

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 sense 7

Examples of workhorse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Vulcan rocket is supposed to be the workhorse for Amazon Leo. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 7 July 2026

Ahead, interior designers break down the must-haves that make a mudroom the organizational workhorse of the home. — Michelle Mastro, The Spruce, 4 July 2026

Volatile, quarrelsome, dogmatic, and sure of his own brilliance, Reinhold outraged patrons, amassed huge debts, and turned his eldest son into an exhausted workhorse. — Jenny Uglow, The New York Review of Books, 4 July 2026

This is a workhorse that'll last a long time, with solid build quality and tons of useful features. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 4 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for workhorse

• concourse
• divorce
• endorse
• enforce
• indorse
• midcourse
• outsource
• perforce
• racehorse
• remorse
• seahorse
• workforce

Kids Definition

workhorse

noun

work·​horse ˈwərk-ˌhȯ(ə)rs 

1

: a horse used for hard work (as on a farm)

2

a

: a person who does most of the work of a group task

b

: something that is useful, durable, or dependable