workday
B1Neutral to formal; common in business and administrative contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A day on which work is typically done, especially a weekday.
The period of time in a day during which a person is engaged in or required to be at work; the typical or average duration of a day's work. It can also refer to a day that feels like a long, hard, or tedious day of work.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a countable noun. It can refer to both the calendar day (e.g., Monday) and the span of working hours within that day. The compound spelling is standard for the noun, though 'working day' is also common, especially in UK English.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'working day' is more common than the single-word 'workday'. Both are understood. In American English, 'workday' is the predominant, standard form.
Connotations
Slightly more administrative/formal in British English when 'working day' is used. In AmE, 'workday' is the neutral, everyday term.
Frequency
In AmE corpora, 'workday' is significantly more frequent than 'working day'. In BrE, 'working day' is more frequent, but 'workday' is recognised and used.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
during the workdaya workday of [number] hoursoutside (of) workday hoursreduce/extend the workdayVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's been a real workday.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Standard term for defining operational schedules, e.g., 'Payment will be processed within three workdays.'
Academic
Used in sociological or economic studies on labour, e.g., 'The average workday length has decreased over the century.'
Everyday
Common in casual conversation about schedules, e.g., 'My workday ends at 5:30.'
Technical
Used in HR, legal, and project management contexts to specify timelines excluding weekends/holidays.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Not commonly used as a verb.
American English
- Not commonly used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not used as an adverb.
American English
- Not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The workday routine can become monotonous.
- We offer workday childcare facilities.
American English
- She wore her workday clothes, not her suit.
- The workday hustle starts at 8 AM.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My workday starts at nine o'clock.
- Friday is my favourite workday.
- I usually have lunch around the middle of my workday.
- The bank is open on workdays from 9 to 5.
- After a particularly gruelling workday, all I wanted was a quiet evening.
- The new policy allows for a flexible workday, so you can start earlier if you prefer.
- The study analysed the correlation between a shortened workday and overall employee productivity.
- Her workday was punctuated by back-to-back meetings, leaving little time for focused project work.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: WORK + DAY = the day you work. Simple compound word.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE WORKDAY IS A CONTAINER (for tasks, effort). THE WORKDAY IS A JOURNEY (from start to finish).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation as 'рабочий день' when referring to a *weekday* in a non-work context. In English, 'workday' strongly implies actual work, not just Monday-Friday.
- Do not confuse with 'рабочая смена' (shift) – 'workday' is usually tied to a calendar day, not a specific rotation.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'work day' (two words) in formal writing; the compound 'workday' is preferred. *'I have a long work day tomorrow.' (Informal OK, but 'workday' is standard.)
- Confusing 'workday' with 'deadline'. A '3-workday deadline' means three working days, not 72 hours.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'workday' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The standard spelling for the noun is as one word: 'workday'. 'Work day' as two words is sometimes seen informally but is not the preferred form in dictionaries or formal writing.
A 'weekday' is any day from Monday to Friday (sometimes including Sunday, depending on context), regardless of whether work is done. A 'workday' specifically implies a day on which work is actually performed or scheduled. Saturday can be a workday for many people, but it is not typically a weekday.
Yes, in its extended meaning. You can say, 'My workday is eight hours long,' referring to the duration, not just the calendar date.
No, 'workday' is not used as a standard verb in contemporary English. It functions only as a noun and occasionally as an adjective (e.g., 'workday clothes').