overwork
B2Neutral to formal
Definition
Meaning
to cause someone to work too hard or for too long; to use something too much or too hard.
Work or labour that is excessive in amount or duration, leading to exhaustion or diminished effectiveness. The state of being exhausted by excessive work.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word implies an excess beyond a healthy or reasonable limit, often resulting in negative physical or mental consequences (e.g., stress, burnout, breakdown). It can be applied to people, animals, or abstract concepts like an idea or a theme.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or usage differences. In both varieties, the noun form is less frequent than the verb and participle adjective ('overworked').
Connotations
Strongly negative in both varieties, associated with exploitation, poor management, and personal neglect of well-being.
Frequency
Slightly more common in American business and self-help contexts discussing work-life balance.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[VN] to overwork staff/employees[V] You've been overworking.[VN] He overworked the theme until it became tedious.be overworked (adjective)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Burn the candle at both ends”
- “Work oneself into the ground”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to a management issue causing low morale and high turnover, e.g., 'Policies that lead to systematic overwork are counterproductive.'
Academic
Used in sociology or psychology to discuss labour practices, stress, and burnout syndromes.
Everyday
Common in complaints about personal workload, e.g., 'I'm completely overworked this week.'
Technical
In engineering, can refer to operating a machine beyond its designed capacity.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The manager would often overwork his team before major deadlines.
- You'll make yourself ill if you overwork.
American English
- Don't overwork the dough, or the biscuits will be tough.
- She tends to overwork herself during tax season.
adjective
British English
- The overworked nurses finally went on strike.
- It's an overworked plot device in television dramas.
American English
- Overworked parents rarely have time for themselves.
- The argument felt overworked and unconvincing.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She is tired because she overworks.
- My father overworks every day.
- If you overwork, you might become sick.
- The company does not want to overwork its employees.
- Chronic overwork is a major factor in employee burnout.
- He overworked the engine, and now it needs repairs.
- The consultant warned against overworking the staff, citing plummeting creativity and increased absenteeism.
- The film's director overworked the metaphor of the journey to the point of cliché.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a clock (WORK) with an OVER-sized weight on it, crushing and slowing it down.
Conceptual Metaphor
WORK IS A RESOURCE / BURDEN (you can have an excess of it, it can weigh you down).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating directly as 'переработать' (which primarily means 'redo' or 'remake'). The closer equivalent for the verb is 'зарабатываться' or 'перетруждаться'. The noun is 'переутомление'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'overwork' as a countable noun (*an overwork). It is generally uncountable. Confusing 'overworked' (adjective) with 'overwrought' (agitated).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST likely result of overwork?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it can be used for animals, machines, or abstract concepts like an idea or a musical theme, implying excessive use or strain.
'Overwork' specifically relates to excessive labour or duration of work, typically applied to humans. 'Overload' is broader, meaning to put too great a load on anything (e.g., circuits, schedules, trucks).
Yes, but it is uncountable. You can say 'the effects of overwork' but not 'an overwork'.
Yes, in everyday language, the adjective 'overworked' (e.g., 'I feel overworked') is more frequently used than the base verb form.