work over

verb

Definition of work overnext
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly the mob boss's thugs really worked him over

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 work over Otherwise, its generous fit is just oversized enough to work over fall layers. — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 24 Sep. 2026 Plainly, this router works over time to support your connection. — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026 Where Hsu’s early work was filled with the people in his life, his work over the past decade is marked by a kind of solitude. — Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026 Sevier set up the page as Abbott will be unable to work over the coming months, with his wife Becky taking time off from her job to support him. — Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for work over
Recent Examples of Synonyms for work over
  1. lick
  2. hide
  3. pound
  4. lash
  5. do
  6. hit
  7. punch out
  8. beat
Verb
  • Popo would lick her cone ever so gracefully, never dripping or messing up the lining of her magenta lipstick.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Teams have to be licking their chops after seeing what Tampa Bay did to Dallas last Thursday night, especially considering the defense (or lack thereof) that the Cowboys have shown through five weeks.
    — Jonathan Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of lick
Verb
  • Ambarchi is the director who makes occasional cameos, hiding with his guitar in the shadows until stepping forward only when necessary.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of hide
Verb
  • When Louise would remember the show decades later, the audience was always so electric that the room exploded into stamping feet and pounding fists.
    — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Ukraine briefly halted such attacks, but has since resumed them — while Russia never stopped pounding Ukraine’s energy plants and cities.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of pound
Verb
  • Most of the students were accused of minor offenses, like making threats, using cannabis vapes or lashing out at classmates or teachers, the analysis found.
    — Kristian Hernández, San Antonio Express-News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • More students ages 10 to 13 are ending up in the justice system after vaping, making threats and lashing out at school.
    — Rosie Cima, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of lash
Verb
  • PhotoTat can have additional practical applications, including for medical tattoos like those done on cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy.
    — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 19 Oct. 2026
  • OpenAI has reportedly floated the idea of giving the government up to a 5% stake in the company and suggested other leading AI companies do the same.
    — Sarah Cannon, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of do
Verb
  • Prosecutors said Wilcox was hit by gunfire, fell to the ground and fired three more gunshots at the officers.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The different program sales operations of Skydance hit the Côte d’Azur under their pre-existing Paramount and WB brands.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of hit
Verb
  • Rays starter Drew Rasmussen kept that lead strong through five innings, punching out seven.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • On Oregon’s next possession, facing a fourth and one, UCLA stuffed Thomas, once again punching out a fumble.
    — Elias Esquivel, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of punch out
Verb
  • For founders sitting atop a mountain of stock, that beats selling shares, paying tax, and then giving away the cash.
    — Diane Brady, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The defense has exceeded expectations and continues to cement itself as a top-20, maybe even a top-15 defense, while the offense remains a disappointment, even after beating the Bears (4-2, 2-1).
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of beat

Browse Nearby Words

workouts
work over
workplace
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Work over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/work%20over. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All