as in licking
to strike repeatedly
the mob boss's thugs really worked him over
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of working over
Raw came back from break with all three teams taking turns working over Akira Tozawa.
—
Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Using clean hands and working over a colander, wring out the extra water and tear the soaked bread into pieces.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2025
Mary Catherine Kinney, who recently started working over there and has always been a big cheerleader in my corner, just as a friend and someone who likes music.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025
John Cooper described how much Redford enjoyed working over ideas with young filmmakers at the Sundance Institute each summer.
—Scott Simon, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025
Republican senators are growing increasingly pessimistic about reaching a deal to avoid working over the weekend.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 1 Aug. 2025
Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Using clean hands and working over a colander, wring out the extra water and tear the soaked bread into pieces.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2025
Mary Catherine Kinney, who recently started working over there and has always been a big cheerleader in my corner, just as a friend and someone who likes music.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025
John Cooper described how much Redford enjoyed working over ideas with young filmmakers at the Sundance Institute each summer.
—Scott Simon, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025
Republican senators are growing increasingly pessimistic about reaching a deal to avoid working over the weekend.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 1 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for working over
Verb
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The spotless streets are polished nightly by the feet of families licking ice cream.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Mar. 2026
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On April 30, 2025, the dog was reportedly licking its tail and lethargic.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The same neighbor also saw him, on another occasion, pounding on Wilkens’ back door with what looked like a metal pipe.—
Pamela Colloff,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
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Florida began its national title defense with the second-largest victory margin in NCAA Tournament history, pounding Prairie View A&M 114-55 on Friday night.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For example, replacing a child’s dropped ice cream cone or lost balloon, hiding small treats where others can find them.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
-
These mushrooms are notorious for hiding just underneath the surface.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The president of a labor union representing Transportation Security Administration employees is lashing out at lawmakers, telling them not to leave Washington, DC, for Easter recess before passing a deal to pay its agents amid the ongoing partial government shutdown.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
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How this showdown plays out will affect not only Anthropic’s booming business but also the way tech titans and other corporations work with an administration known for lashing out at resisters, said Alan Rozenshtein, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Law School.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the bottom of the eighth, former Giant Camilo Doval struck out the side, punching out Ramos, Casey Schmitt and Patrick Bailey — all swinging.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
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The 24-year-old Sasaki threw a smooth 16 pitches, punching out the right-handed hitting Zavala, and inducing a pair of groundballs to shortstop from the lefty Kim.—
Jack Vita,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The high waist bunched a little when seated, but it was hardly cause for breaking focus when attempting an inversion (the whipping wind, however, was another story).—
Talia Abbas,
Vogue,
11 Mar. 2026
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Another blow is expected Friday and Saturday, again starting in the northern part of the state before whipping the Los Angeles area.—
Anthony Edwards,
San Francisco Chronicle,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In doing so, a supreme intelligence began to emerge.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Mar. 2026
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Instead, Hall put on late-night shows in the basement of his home and became a popular child magician, earning money by doing his routine at ritzy parties and travelling to magic conventions.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After beating Atlanta last Friday without Jaylen Brown and Charlotte on Sunday without Brown and Derrick White, Boston flopped in a rematch with the Hawks, losing 112-102 without a crew of contributors headlined by a resting Jayson Tatum.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
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Lawson’s Blue Devils relished their March Madness at the downtown arena on Friday night, a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in the corner by Ashlon Jackson to stun storied LSU in a Sweet 16 contest.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Working over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/working%20over. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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