work over

verb

worked over; working over; works over

transitive verb

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.

Synonyms of work over

• lick
• hide
• pound
• lash
• do
• hit
• punch out
• beat
• whip
• attack
• knock
• assault
• pelt
• batter
• slap
• punch
• thump
• bat
• beat up on

Examples of work over in a Sentence

the mob boss's thugs really worked him over

Recent Examples on the Web

Raw came back from break with all three teams taking turns working over Akira Tozawa. —Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026

The longtime consultant, business columnist, and news contributor has witnessed what has worked over the past four decades. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026

All three were created by the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit legal organization founded in 1989 that has expanded into narrative and public-history work over the past decade and a half under the leadership of its founder and executive director, Bryan Stevenson. —Clint Smith, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026

Nothing demonstrates this better than repeatedly coming back to an artist’s work over a period of years. —Benjamin Lima special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 17 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for work over

• carryover
• changeover
• crossover
• cutover
• flashover
• hangover
• holdover
• layover
• leftover
• makeover
• moreover
• passover