working over

verb

present participle of work over
as in licking
to strike repeatedly the mob boss's thugs really worked him over

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of working over Rybakina’s serve and forehand can take any match out of her opponent’s hands, especially on grass, but the latter shot has misfired of late, and McNally’s changes in rhythm will give the 27-year-old a serious working over. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 1 July 2026 There should be no pain or skin reddening during a proper session, and therapists avoid working over active swelling, infection or skin that’s undergone cancer treatment. — Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026 However, Clayton-Thomas continued working over the decades, both solo and as a member of later incarnations of the band. — Jem Aswad, Variety, 25 June 2026 So college-bound or not, most teens would be better off working over the summer, gaining experience, skills, and perspective to see the big city beyond Santa Rosa. — Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026 Angie Moore, a bartender at The Do Drop Inn, a bar on Main Street, was working over the weekend and watched groups of kids running past the business several times, saw youths jumping on top of a car and spotted some who made it to the rooftop of a downtown building. — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026 On Wednesday, the judge said that Sidhu had been given speeding penalties before the crash and had been working over 26 hours, with 16 of them being behind the wheel, per CBC. — Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 15 May 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for working over
  1. licking
  2. pounding
  3. hiding
  4. lashing
  5. punching out
  6. whipping
  7. doing
  8. beating
Verb
  • There’s truly nothing like licking that paper lid, then shoveling that tiny tongue depressor into a child-sized serving of vanilla or chocolate ice cream.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, admitted to licking the straw and returning it to the vending machine while recording the act for his online followers.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
Definition of licking
Verb
  • Williams braved pounding surf and massive waves to bring a struggling 10-year-old boy safely back to shore, as Fox News Digital reported.
    — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • During the rescue, which was caught on video, 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams and another lifeguard pulled a 10-year-old to safety amid pounding waves.
    — Tim Fang, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of pounding
Verb
  • Pittsboro has neither beaches nor mountains, but don’t count it out as a relaxing getaway just yet; this small town is hiding a Relais & Châteaux inn, restaurant, and spa.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Ligdis called emergency services to report his trespassing while hiding in the laundry room.
    — Eleanor Jacobs, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of hiding
Verb
  • The president has responded to the MAGA criticism by lashing out repeatedly at dissenters, prompting Greene – once a top Trump supporter – not to run for reelection and Massie to lose his primary.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Koivun launched himself into the lead at TPC Twin Cities by lashing a 305-yard approach shot to 12 feet on the par-5 12th hole.
    — Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 28 July 2026
Definition of lashing
Verb
  • Danny Nelson starred again from the mound for Leominster in a 4-1 win over Shepherd Hill, allowing just three hits while punching out 10 in a complete game.
    — Kristina Banahan, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026
  • The third frame was his sharpest, with Snell pitching around a two-out error from Kim and punching out Jorge Mateo on a curveball to end his night.
    — Katie Woo, New York Times, 10 May 2026
Definition of punching out
Verb
  • Battered cars with numbers sprayed on their sides are whipping around the dirt track of the Lebanon Valley Speedway, loose fenders flopping like overgrown bangs in the swirling dust.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Iguanas usually go viral for other reasons Iguanas are usually quick-moving and run away from their would-be captors with their long tails whipping behind them.
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 24 July 2026
Definition of whipping
Verb
  • Alvin Kan, chief operating officer of Bitget Wallet, said on the On The Margin podcast that freelancers and remote workers already treat a self-custody crypto wallet as a place to keep working capital, and that the share doing so is growing.
    — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • At times, he was seen doing stretches, eating food, peering out the windows with binoculars and listening to music with headphones.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of doing
Verb
  • The family is also adamant that they were told by the hospital that by the time Lopez-Cornejo arrived there on Saturday, his heart was no longer beating.
    — Armando Garcia, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The Giants then pulled off one more buzzer-beating trade by flipping reliever Erik Miller for infielder and former first-rounder Marcelo Mayer, their fifth and final trade of the day.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of beating

Browse Nearby Words

working out
working over
workings
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Cite this Entry

“Working over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/working%20over. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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